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• covenanter
  covenanter

  noun

  a person who makes a covenant.
• Covenanter
  Covenanter

  noun

  a person upholding the National Covenant of 1638 or the Solemn League and Covenant of 1643 between Scotland and England to establish and defend Presbyterianism

covenanter

American  

[kuhv-uh-nuhn-ter, kuhv-uh-nan-ter] / ˈkʌv ə nən tər, ˌkʌv əˈnæn tər /

noun

1. a person who makes a covenant.

2. (initial capital letter) a person who, by solemn agreement, pledged to uphold Presbyterianism, especially an adherent of the National Covenant or the Solemn League and Covenant.

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Covenanter British  

/ ˌkʌvəˈnæntə, ˈkʌvənəntə /

noun

1. a person upholding the National Covenant of 1638 or the Solemn League and Covenant of 1643 between Scotland and England to establish and defend Presbyterianism

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Etymology

Origin of covenanter

First recorded in 1630–40; covenant + -er ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

covenanter Covenanter

The fanaticism of the covenanter and the sad grace of Petrarch seem to meet in Milton's monody.

From Milton by Mark Pattison

Middleton, like the Marquis of Montrose, had been at one time a covenanter.

From The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning by Hugh Binning

The old covenanter seems to have told Charles some plain truths, and the king in return forgot the courtesy which so distinguished him, and retorted that Rothes was a liar.

From The Red Book of Heroes by Arthur Wallis Mills

Loudon: Scottish lord and covenanter; committed to the Tower for soliciting the aid of the king of France: he was sent to Scotland by Charles.

From The Browning Cyclop?dia A Guide to the Study of the Works of Robert Browning by Edward Berdoe

These irregular whigs, have, therefore, spent their ammunition, as profitably, as the old covenanter spent his, who fired a horse pistol against the walls of Sterling Castle.

From Dealings with the Dead, Volume I (of 2) by A Sexton of the Old School

In Dumbarton the situation was stoked by zealous local ministers, with the Covenanter movement having considerable influence at the time.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2025

Macartney's father, a strict Scots Covenanter minister, taught his children* a firm, old-fashioned set of religious beliefs.

From Time Magazine Archive

Their father was a mining engineer from Oil City, Pa. who liked to boast of his Scotch Covenanter descent.

From Time Magazine Archive

David Hackston, the Covenanter, who was a passive assister at the assassination of Archbishop Sharp, belonged to this parish, his place being named Rathillet.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 8 "Cube" to "Daguerre, Louis" by Various

He had been three days at sea before he ventured from the place o' his concealment, and the captain himself being the son o' a Covenanter, he was conveyed to the great city in safety.

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 14 by Various