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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:

Talarico’s Christianity celebrates pluralism, affirms LGBTQ+ individuals and believes God transcends all partisan divisions.

From Salon Aug. 14, 2026

He has an American wife and converted to Christianity before setting up a charity to help refugees.

From BBC Aug. 7, 2026

Most Israelis condemn this behavior, but negative attitudes toward Christianity have become more common, particularly among young people, surveys show.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 2, 2026

The monastery, which includes one of the oldest major churches in Christianity, was built around a column that Saint Simeon sat on for years, dedicating his life to prayer.

From Barron's Jul. 20, 2026

It was not, of course, unknown: Christianity, after all, was named after Christ.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

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 Thomas Carlyle

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 Ambrose Coleman

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 Charles Lamb

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 Thomas Carlyle

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