in church-history, a sect among the Hebrews, being one of the branches of the Samaritans. See SAMARITANS.

They abstained from eating any creature that had life; and were so superstitious in keeping the sabbath, that they remained in the same place and posture where-in that day surprized them, without stirring till the next day. They married but once, and a great number never married. Dositheus, their founder, being dissatisfied among the Jews, retired to the Samaritans, who were reputed heretics, and invented another sect; and to make it more authentic, he went into a cave, where, by too long abstinence, he killed himself.—The name of Dositheans was also given to some of the disciples of Simon Magus.