Lutheran

American  

[loo-ther-uhn] / ˈlu θər ən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Luther, adhering to his doctrines, or belonging to one of the Protestant churches that bear his name.

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noun

• Lutherans
  plural

1. a follower of Luther or an adherent of his doctrines; a member of the Lutheran Church.

Lutheran British  

/ ˈluːθərən /

noun

1. a follower of Martin Luther or a member of a Lutheran Church

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adjective

1. of or relating to Luther or his doctrines, the most important being justification by faith alone, consubstantiation, and the authority of the Bible

2. of or denoting any Protestant Church that follows Luther's doctrines

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Lutheranism
  noun
• Lutherism
  noun
• non-Lutheran
  adjective
• pre-Lutheran
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• Lutherans
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Lutheran

First recorded in 1515–25; Luther + -an

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Lutheran Lutherans

Orange Lutheran High’s star offensive lineman Lucas Rhoa has figured out the perfect formula to achieve that.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

It’s the perfect hype up to get Orange Lutheran in the mood to win.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

Palmer recalls one play, in the CIF semifinals against Orange Lutheran, when he put Mosley at the point of attack to block and he drove one defender into two others, “single-handedly blocking three guys.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

The royal couple's co-habitation in an Oslo flat had also drawn criticism from the conservative Lutheran Church of Norway - though polls from the time showed most ordinary Norwegians did not care about either.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

Having acceded to her husband’s indulgent discipline throughout Ernest’s childhood and adolescence, Gunda now put her foot down, insisting that he attend St. Olaf College, a cloistered Lutheran institution in frigid Northfield, Minnesota.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Francis worked with Anglicans, Lutherans and Methodists and persuaded the Israeli and Palestinian presidents to join him to pray for peace.

From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2025

My mother, raised Southern Baptist, was clear that we attended the only Lutheran church for miles because the Lutherans weren’t mean.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2024

The campaign is staking much of its future on Iowa, where conservative evangelicals, Catholics and Lutherans make up much of the voting base.

From Reuters ● Sep. 25, 2023

The Lutherans are currently holding their own services in a nearby community center.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 20, 2022

A single meeting might include a recital of the Magnificat in Latin by a group of Roman Catholics, a whispered hymn by some Lutherans, and a sotto-voce chant by Eastern Orthodox women.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom