Manichaean

• Manichean, Manichaeist, Manichee, Manichæan

From Manichaeus +‎ -an.

• IPA^(key): /ˌmænɪˈkiːən/

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Manichaean (plural Manichaeans)

1. A follower of Manichaeism.

Manichaean (not comparable)

1. Of or relating to Manichaeism.
   • 1995 November 25, Michael Gibson, “The Treasures of a Lost Buddhist World”, in The International Herald Tribune‎, →ISSN:

     Through them passed not only the traders of the Silk Route […] but also lone Buddhist monks carrying precious cargoes of scrolls in their backpacks, white-robed Manichean sages from Iran and austere Nestorian clerics who founded Christian monasteries even in remote Tibet.

2. Of or concerning a Manichaean.
3. (by extension) Of or relating to a worldview of distinct good and evil, especially to the exclusion of other possible categories.
   • 1988 April 11, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, “Strategy and Tactics to Win the Global Struggle”, in The New York Times‎, →ISSN:

     Detractors of Mr. Nixon will decry the book's [1999: Victory Without War] obsession with potency and winning […] as well as with a Manichaean view of a world that he sees as divided between the bad Soviet Union and the good United States.

   • 2008 June 8, Ana Marie Cox, “What Went Wrong | Divided She Fell”, in The New York Times‎, →ISSN:

     Barack Obama spoke of a world without these Manichean dualities. He dismissed the notion of “red” and “blue” America.

   • 2020, Marcus Gilroy-Ware, After the Fact?, Repeater, →ISBN:

     Once again, we see a Manichean world not unlike that of conspiracists: you can be good or you can be evil.

4. (by extension) Using dark and light to represent good and evil.