Belief
Etymology
From Old English "geleafa," of Germanic origin, related to "lief" (dear) and, distantly, to love. To believe was first to hold dear, to trust — the word’s roots are in loyalty and affection, not in evidence, which is why we still speak of believing in people, not just believing that things are true.
noun · /bih-LEEF/
Acceptance that something is true or real, held with or without proof.
What it names
Use it for what a mind takes to be so — the raw contents of a worldview, sitting between mere opinion and confirmed knowledge.
Example
His belief that the market would recover survived three years with no sign of it.
Related idea
Belief sits below knowledge: philosophers traditionally treat knowledge as belief that is both true and justified, so every piece of knowledge is a belief, but not every belief qualifies. And unlike an opinion, a belief can be about matters of fact, not just taste.
See also