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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 ( see 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

And then He turned to the angels, and He said: "Martin, yet a catechumen, hath clothed Me with this garment."

From Stories of the Saints by Candle-Light by Barclay, Vera C. (Vera Charlesworth)

In a white rage, the Father of Ice remounted his horse and rode away, disregarding the ironical salute of M�tri, who stood out before his door, awaiting the arrival of his catechumen.

From The Valley of the Kings by Pickthall, Marmaduke William

He fell back into the status of a catechumen, and it was much discussed from the 2nd century onwards whether he could be restored to the church at all, and, if so, how.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 3 "Banks" to "Bassoon" by Various