Protestantism
Americannoun
-
the religion of Protestants.
-
the Protestant churches collectively.
-
adherence to Protestant principles.
noun
-
the religion or religious system of any of the Churches of Western Christendom that are separated from the Roman Catholic Church and adhere substantially to principles established by Luther, Calvin, etc, in the Reformation
-
the Protestant Churches collectively
-
adherence to the principles of the Reformation
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Protestantism
First recorded in 1640–50; Protestant + -ism
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.
It recognises Protestantism and Catholicism as official religions, but practising organisations must register with the government -- something many Christians feel yields an unacceptable amount of control over church affairs and teachings.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
Appeared in the June 26, 2026, print edition as 'The Reconquest of Mainline Protestantism'.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
He was brought up in Protestantism, to which was often attributed his austere demeanour, but gave up religion in his teens.
From BBC ● Mar. 23, 2026
Ufology, like Protestantism, is a big-tent religion, and “A lot of this overlaps,” Janix said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2024
But Dorus knew his limitations, and was content to be a pastor in the small community of Zundert, in a church that was part of a small movement in the new, less rigid Dutch Protestantism.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.