evangelical

[ee-van-jel-i-kuhl, ev-uhn-]

adjective

1. Also evangelic. pertaining to or in keeping with the gospel and its teachings.

2. belonging to or designating the Christian churches that emphasize the teachings and authority of the Scriptures, especially of the New Testament, in opposition to the institutional authority of the church itself, and that stress as paramount the tenet that salvation is achieved by personal conversion to faith in the atonement of Christ.

3. designating Christians, especially of the late 1970s, eschewing the designation of fundamentalist but holding to a conservative interpretation of the Bible.

4. pertaining to certain movements in the Protestant churches in the 18th and 19th centuries that stressed the importance of personal experience of guilt for sin, and of reconciliation to God through Christ.

5. marked by ardent or zealous enthusiasm for a cause.

noun

1. an adherent of evangelical doctrines or a person who belongs to an evangelical church or party.

evangelical

/ ˌiːvænˈdʒɛlɪkəl /

adjective

1. of, based upon, or following from the Gospels

2. denoting or relating to any of certain Protestant sects or parties, which emphasize the importance of personal conversion and faith in atonement through the death of Christ as a means of salvation

3. another word for evangelistic

noun

1. an upholder of evangelical doctrines or a member of an evangelical sect or party, esp the Low-Church party of the Church of England

evangelical

1. A member of any of various Christian churches that believes in the sole authority of the literal Bible (see also Bible), a salvation (see also salvation) only through regeneration, or rebirth, and a spiritually transformed personal life.

Other Word Forms

• evangelically adverb
• evangelicalness noun
• evangelicality noun
• nonevangelic adjective
• nonevangelical adjective
• nonevangelically adverb
• pseudoevangelic adjective
• pseudoevangelical adjective
• pseudoevangelically adverb
• superevangelical adjective
• superevangelically adverb
• unevangelic adjective
• unevangelical adjective
• unevangelically adverb
• evangelicalism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of evangelical¹

1525–35; < Late Latin evangelicus (< Late Greek euangelikós; evangel ¹, -ic ) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

The prominence of these Christian genres, which are almost exclusively associated with white evangelical culture, worried some progressive commentators who feared their propaganda value.

From Salon

The evangelical Christian also insisted Muslim immigration is a threat to the culture of the UK, and warned criticising people for using words like "invasion" in relation to migrants was shutting down "legitimate concerns".

From BBC

The memorial service celebrated Charlie Kirk's Christianity and promised a new enthusiasm among young Americans for traditional values with an evangelical fervour.

From BBC

As part of an evangelical ministry, he preached against abortion rights and condemned LGBTQ+ people.

From Salon

In death, Kirk, one of the Republican Party’s most influential power brokers, is being hailed by conservative evangelical pastors and GOP politicians as a Christian killed for his religious beliefs.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• pious 
• religious