Christian

¹ American  

[kris-chuhn] / ˈkrɪs tʃən /

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 American  

[kris-chuhn] / ˈkrɪs tʃən /

noun

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

---

Christian ¹ British  

/ 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 British  

/ ˈkrɪstʃən /

noun

1. Charlie. 1919–42, US jazz guitarist

---

Christian ¹ Cultural  

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 Cultural  

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

Etymology

Origin of Christian

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

“The Christian tradition does not find its hope in domination or force, but in the paradox of the cross,” Del Brocco told Salon.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026

The city was the one-time home of Augustine, whose autobiographical "Confessions" is a seminal work within the Christian tradition.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

"This should be deleted immediately," wrote Sean Feucht, a Christian activist who is working on a series of faith-based events to mark the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence this year.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

That sentiment in America meant nothing to our predominately white Christian teammates who, true to the nature of sports, judged teammates only on their character, work ethic and production.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

Liberation theology meant that the Christian faith carried an obligation to promote social justice, and from its own resources the Church had a duty to help the poor wherever and whenever possible.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French