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Christianity

American  
[kris-chee-an-i-tee] / ˌkrɪs tʃiˈæn ɪ ti /

noun

Christianities plural
  1. the Christian religion, including the Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox churches.

  2. Christian beliefs or practices; Christian quality or character.

    Christianity mixed with pagan elements; the Christianity of Augustine's thought.

  3. a particular Christian religious system.

    She followed fundamentalist Christianity.

  4. the state of being a Christian.

  5. Christendom.

  6. conformity to the Christian religion or to its beliefs or practices.


Christianity British  
/ ˌkrɪstɪˈænɪtɪ /

noun

  1. the Christian religion

  2. Christian beliefs, practices or attitudes

  3. a less common word for Christendom

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Christianity Cultural  
  1. The religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians (see also Christian) believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, sent by God. They believe that Jesus, by dying and rising from the dead, made up for the sin of Adam and thus redeemed the world, allowing all who believe in him to enter heaven. Christians rely on the Bible (see also Bible) as the inspired word of God. (See also gospel, Nativity, Resurrection, salvation (see also salvation), and Sermon on the Mount.)


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of Christianity

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English cristianite, from Latin chrīstiānitāt-, stem of chrīstiānitās; equivalent to Christian + -ity; replacing Middle English cristiente, from Middle French, from Latin, as above

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Europe used to have a grand idea of itself rooted in Christianity, the social bonds of feudalism and the long afterglow of the Roman Empire.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 2, 2026

Many ordinary Americans who attended the prayer service seemed to recognize the desire to link the United States with Christianity.

From Salon Jun. 29, 2026

Even if English Protestants were late compared to the Spanish and Portuguese Catholic missionaries, Mr. Ryrie shows that John Calvin, John Knox and other reformers were laying the groundwork for the birth of global Christianity.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 19, 2026

The first half of Communion, on Vance’s journey from evangelical Christianity to atheism to Catholicism, takes the reader through his disillusionment with the conservative evangelical churches of his youth.

From Slate Jun. 18, 2026

Islam and Christianity promise eternal paradise to the faithful.

From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green

Dr Jörg Haustein, associate professor of World Christianities at the University of Cambridge, says it is possible to understand why people keep giving when "the promises are not paying off as directly advertised".

From BBC Mar. 11, 2023

What make ye of your Christianities, and Chivalries, and Reformations, and Marseillaise Hymns, and Reigns of Terror?

From Sartor Resartus: the life and opinions of Herr Teufelsdröckh by Carlyle, Thomas

What make ye of your Christianities, and Chivalries, and Reformations, and Marseillese Hymns, and Reigns of Terror?

From Sartor Resartus, and On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History by Carlyle, Thomas

She tells us that Mr. Paice's life was one long series of gentle altruisms and the truest Christianities.

From The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 2 Elia and The Last Essays of Elia by Lamb, Charles

The districts are subdivided into what are called Christianities, or places of meeting where prayer is said, and the Christian doctrine taught.

From The Friars in the Philippines by Coleman, Ambrose

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