Christianity

[kris-chee-an-i-tee]

noun, plural Chris·ti·an·i·ties.

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

Christian beliefs or practices; Christian quality or character: Christianity mixed with pagan elements; the Christianity of Augustine's thought.

a particular Christian religious system: She followed fundamentalist Christianity.

the state of being a Christian.

Christendom.

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

Origin of Christianity

1250–1300; Middle English cristianite < Latin chrīstiānitāt- (stem of chrīstiānitās), equivalent to chrīstiān- Christian + -itāt- -ity; replacing Middle English cristiente < Middle French < Latin, as above

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for christianity

Contemporary Examples of christianity

At Christianity Today, Peter Chin claims Christians should preach peace instead of bogging down in the particulars of race.
No Gods, No Cops, No Masters
James Poulos
January 1, 2015
Krampus makes manifest the shadow sides of human nature that Christianity seeks to repress.
Meet Krampus, the Seriously Bad Santa
Jay Michaelson
December 5, 2014
We think of Christianity as sexless, this [Gospel] says that sex is sacred.
Is ‘The Lost Gospel’ Book a Fraud?
Nico Hines
November 12, 2014
Christianity spawned the monastic movement, originally in Egypt, that insisted upon peace, self-reliance, education and charity.
Karen Armstrong’s New Rule: Religion Isn’t Responsible for Violence
Patricia Pearson
October 29, 2014
That is two years before Nolan had even converted from Christianity to Islam.
Megyn Kelly’s Really Scary Muslim
Dean Obeidallah
October 5, 2014

Historical Examples of christianity

Mr. Gladstone dwells much on the relation of Homer to Christianity.
The Grand Old Man
Richard B. Cook
The book of Christianity must be interpreted by the disciples of Christianity.
Understanding the Scriptures
Francis McConnell
Justice requires, and Christianity insists, upon reparation.
Female Scripture Biographies, Vol. I
Francis Augustus Cox
Nevertheless, as time went on he came back to a belief in Christianity.
Heroes of the Telegraph
J. Munro
Christianity will not do for them here what it will do for them in Africa.
The Works of Whittier, Volume VII (of VII)
John Greenleaf Whittier

British Dictionary definitions for christianity

Christianity

noun

the Christian religion

Christian beliefs, practices or attitudes

a less common word for Christendom (def. 1)

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

Word Origin and History for christianity

Christianity

c.1300, cristente, "Christians as a whole; state of being a Christian," from Old French crestienté "Christendom; spiritual authority; baptism" (Modern French chrétienté), from Church Latin christianitatem (nominative christianitas), noun of state from christianus (see Christian). Gradually respelled to conform with Latin. Christendom is the older word for it. Old English also had cristennes.

christianity in Culture

Christianity

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.)