Christian

¹

[kris-chuhn]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or derived from Jesus Christ or His teachings.

   a Christian faith.

2. of, pertaining to, believing in, or belonging to the religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ.

   Spain is a Christian country.

3. of or relating to Christians.

   many Christian deaths in the Crusades.

4. exhibiting a spirit proper to a follower of Jesus Christ; Christlike.

   She displayed true Christian charity.

5. Sometimes Offensive.,  decent; respectable.

   They gave him a good Christian burial.

6. Sometimes Offensive.,  human; not brutal; humane.

   Such behavior isn't Christian.

noun

1. a person who believes in Jesus Christ; adherent of Christianity.

2. a person who exemplifies in their life the teachings of Christ.

   He died like a true Christian.

3. a member of any of certain Protestant churches, as the Disciples of Christ and the Plymouth Brethren.

4. the hero of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.

5. a male given name.

Christian

²

[kris-chuhn]

noun

1. Charlie, 1916–42, U.S. jazz guitarist.

Christian

¹

/ ˈkrɪstʃən /

noun

1. 1. a person who believes in and follows Jesus Christ

   2. a member of a Christian Church or denomination

2. informal,  a person who possesses Christian virtues, esp practical ones

adjective

1. of, relating to, or derived from Jesus Christ, his teachings, example, or his followers

2. (sometimes not capital) exhibiting kindness or goodness

Christian

²

/ ˈkrɪstʃən /

noun

1. Charlie. 1919–42, US jazz guitarist

Christian

¹

1. A follower or disciple of Jesus; someone who believes Jesus is the Christ or Messiah. The New Testament mentions that the followers of Jesus were first called Christians within a few years after his death.

Christian

²

1. A follower of Jesus and his teachings. Christian is also a descriptive term for the institutions and practices of Christianity.

Other Word Forms

• Christianly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Christian¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; from Latin Chrīstiānus, from Greek Chrīstiānós, equivalent to Chrīst(ós) Christ + -iānos, from Latin -iānus -ian; replacing Middle English, Old English cristen from Latin, as above

Example Sentences

Nigerian officials and analysts say that members of all faiths are victims of the violence and kidnappings and say it is not true that Christians are being targeted.

Read more on BBC

In Turkey, the number of Christians has declined to a historic low, while in Lebanon, where the pope arrived Sunday for a three-day trip, emigration is reducing a larger population.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"I actually don't think this is a science issue. This is a values issue," said Christian Heim, an Australian psychiatrist and clinical director of mental health.

Read more on Barron's

In Turkey when the Pope wanted to bring together different Christian traditions to celebrate a time when they had all been united, the Russian Orthodox Church did not send a representative.

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Both ceremonies blended Booker’s Christian faith and Lewis’s Jewish heritage.

Read more on Salon