Lutheran

American  

[loo-ther-uhn] / ˈlu θər ən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Luther, adhering to his doctrines, or belonging to one of the Protestant churches that bear his name.

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noun

1. a follower of Luther or an adherent of his doctrines; a member of the Lutheran Church.

Lutheran British  

/ ˈluːθərən /

noun

1. a follower of Martin Luther or a member of a Lutheran Church

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adjective

1. of or relating to Luther or his doctrines, the most important being justification by faith alone, consubstantiation, and the authority of the Bible

2. of or denoting any Protestant Church that follows Luther's doctrines

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• pre-Lutheran
  adjective
• Lutherism
  noun
• Lutheranism
  noun
• non-Lutheran
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Lutheran

First recorded in 1515–25; Luther + -an

Example Sentences

As Mr. Mintzker traces the origins and purposes behind that slanderous 1602 pamphlet, he encounters the work of Jacob Schudt, a German theologian and devout Lutheran who around 1714 began publishing his four-volume “Jewish Memorabilia.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

La Habra 11, Orange Lutheran 8: The surprising Highlanders, who knocked off top-seeded Murrieta Mesa earlier, have now eliminated Trinity League champion Orange Lutheran in the Division 1 quarterfinals.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

Orange Lutheran won Division 2 boys over Edison and Windward won Division 3.

From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026

Orange Lutheran, second place to the Braves, was given a No. 4 seed ahead of No. 6 St. John Bosco.

From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2026

For Lutheran Pietists like Bach, illuminating the Gospel was paramount, as were metaphors of light and transparency.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall