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Showing results for catechumen. Search instead for Catechumenate.
Synonyms

catechumen

American  
[kat-i-kyoo-muhn] / ˌkæt ɪˈkyu mən /

noun

  1. Ecclesiastical. a person under instruction in the rudiments of Christianity, as in the early church; a neophyte.

  2. a person being taught the elementary facts, principles, etc., of any subject.


catechumen British  
/ ˌkætɪˈkjuːmɛn, ˌkætəkjʊˈmɛnɪkəl /

noun

  1. Christianity a person, esp in the early Church, undergoing instruction prior to baptism

"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

Other Word Forms

  • catechumenal adjective
  • catechumenate noun
  • catechumenical adjective
  • catechumenically adverb
  • catechumenism noun

Etymology

Origin of catechumen

1325–75; < Late Latin catēchūmenus < Greek katēchoúmenos (one who is) being taught orally, equivalent to katēche-, stem of katēcheîn to teach orally ( catechist ) + -omenos middle present participle suffix; replacing Middle English cathecumyn < Middle French cathecumine < Late 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.

Thereupon she called her brother to her, and that catechumen, and spoke to them, saying: Stand fast in the faith, and love you all one another; and be not offended because of our passion.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

Born of heathen parents, he turned to Christ and became a catechumen.

From Time Magazine Archive

While the parochial schools were limited in their instruction, somewhat after the manner of the early catechumen schools, the changed conditions of Christianity permitted a much broader training than formerly.

From History of Education by Seeley, Levi

Those who suffered with her were, Felicitas, a married lady, big with child at the time of her being apprehended; and Revocatus, catechumen of Carthage, and a slave.

From Fox's Book of Martyrs Or A History of the Lives, Sufferings, and Triumphant Deaths of the Primitive Protestant Martyrs by Foxe, John

The prostrations of the credens before the Perfect were in their manner and import identical with the prostrations of the catechumen before the exorcist.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 5 "Cat" to "Celt" by Various