OXFORD DICTIONARY
theosophy, n. (pl. -ies) any of various philosophies professing to achieve a knowledge of God by spiritual ecstasy, direct intuition, or special individual relations, esp. a modern movement following Hindu and Buddhist teachings and seeking universal brotherhood.
theosopher n. theosophic adj. theosophical adj. theosophically adv. theosophist n.
med.L theosophia f. late Gk theosophia f. theosophos wise concerning God (as THEO-, sophos wise)
DEVIL DICTIONARY
theosophy
n. An ancient faith having all the certitude of religion
and all the mystery of science. The modern Theosophist holds, with
the Buddhists, that we live an incalculable number of times on this
earth, in as many several bodies, because one life is not long enough
for our complete spiritual development; that is, a single lifetime
does not suffice for us to become as wise and good as we choose to
wish to become. To be absolutely wise and good -- that is perfection;
and the Theosophist is so keen-sighted as to have observed that
everything desirous of improvement eventually attains perfection.
Less competent observers are disposed to except cats, which seem
neither wiser nor better than they were last year. The greatest and
fattest of recent Theosophists was the late Madame Blavatsky, who had
no cat.
THESAURUS
theosophy
anagoge, anagogics, anthroposophy, cabala, cabalism, esotericism, esoterics, esoterism, esotery, hocus-pocus, mumbo jumbo, mystery, mysticism, mystification, occultism, symbolics, symbolism, yoga, yogeeism, yogism
ROGET THESAURUS
theosophy
Theology
N
theology (natural and revealed), theogony,
theosophy, divinity, hagiology, hagiography, Caucasian mystery, monotheism, religion, religious persuasion, religious sect, religious denomination, creed, article of faith, declaration of faith, profession of faith, confession of faith, theologue, theologian, scholastic, divine, schoolman, canonist, theologist, the Fathers, theological, religious, denominational, sectarian.