belief

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English bileve, from Old English lēafa, from Proto-West Germanic *laubu from Proto-Germanic *laubō. Compare German Glaube (“faith, belief”). The replacement of final /v/ with /f/ is due to the analogy of noun-verb pairs with /f/ in the noun but /v/ in the verb, creating a pair belief : believe on the model of e.g. grief : grieve or proof : prove. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /bɪˈliːf/, /bəˈliːf/ Rhymes: -iːf Hyphenation: be‧lief === Noun === belief (countable and uncountable, plural beliefs) Mental acceptance of a claim as true. Faith or trust in the reality of something; often based upon one's own reasoning, trust in a claim, desire of actuality, and/or evidence considered. (countable) Something believed. (uncountable) The quality or state of believing. (uncountable) Religious faith. (in the plural) One's religious or moral convictions. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== believe ==== Translations ==== === Anagrams === befile, belfie == Dutch == === Pronunciation === === Verb === belief imperative of believen == German == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [bəˈliːf] Hyphenation: be‧lief === Verb === belief first/third-person singular preterite of belaufen