† Materiˈarian, a. and n. Obs.
[f. late L. māteriāri-us (f. māteria matter) + -an.]
Applied to ancient heretics who believed in the eternity of matter.
| 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. iv. §6. 197 Hermogenes and other ancient pretenders to Christianity did..assert the self-existence and improduction of the Matter, for which cause they were commonly called Materiarii, or the Materiarian Hereticks. Ibid., These Materiarian Theists acknowledged God to be a Perfectly-understanding Being. |