latitudinarian

[ lat-i-tood-n-air-ee-uhn, -tyood- ]

adjective

1. allowing or characterized by latitude in opinion or conduct, especially in religious views.

noun

1. a person who is latitudinarian in opinion or conduct.
2. Anglican Church. one of the churchmen in the 17th century who maintained the wisdom of the episcopal form of government and ritual but denied its divine origin and authority.

latitudinarian

/ ˌlætɪˌtjuːdɪˈnɛərɪən /

adjective

1. permitting or marked by freedom of attitude or behaviour, esp in religious matters
2. sometimes capital of or relating to a school of thought within the Church of England in the 17th century that minimized the importance of divine authority in matters of doctrine and stressed the importance of reason and personal judgment

noun

1. a person with latitudinarian views

Derived Forms

• ˌlatiˌtudiˈnarianism, noun

Other Words From

• lati·tudi·nari·an·ism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of latitudinarian¹

First recorded in 1655–65; from Latin lātitūdin- (stem of lātitūdo “breadth, width”; latitudinal ) + -arian

Word History and Origins

Origin of latitudinarian¹

C17: from Latin lātitūdō breadth, latitude , influenced in form by Trinitarian

Example Sentences

The Latitudinarian party, whose faults and temptations lay in a very opposite direction, was very strong.

From Project Gutenberg

In the wabeno dance, which is esteemed by the Indians as the most latitudinarian co-fraternity, love songs are introduced.

From Project Gutenberg

Latitudinarian opinions revived, and the church was regarded merely as a human institution.

From Project Gutenberg

Good sound crushing, rending, comfortable nails of doctrine—none of your airy latitudinarian tin-tacks.

From Project Gutenberg

Amyraut, the latitudinarian professor of Saumur, was the author of one of them; Bochart that of the other.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• indulgent
• lax
• open-minded
• tolerant