Pentecostal
Americanadjective
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of or relating to Pentecost, a Christian festival commemorating the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles.
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noting or relating to any of various Christian groups, usually fundamentalist, that emphasize the activity of the Holy Spirit, stress holiness of living, and express their religious feelings uninhibitedly, as by speaking in tongues.
noun
adjective
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(usually prenominal) of or relating to any of various Christian groups that emphasize the charismatic aspects of Christianity and adopt a fundamental attitude to the Bible
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of or relating to Pentecost or the influence of the Holy Ghost
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Pentecostal
From the Late Latin word pentēcostālis, dating back to 1540–50. See Pentecost, -al 1
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.
I’d been baptized and raised in a mainstream Kentucky Protestant church, but my father had shared childhood stories of snake handling and speaking in tongues in his Pentecostal Appalachian congregation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
"Her grandfather was a Pentecostal preacher, and she grew up singing in that church, and always spoke very clearly about her faith," Hubbs, who authored the book "Rednecks, Queers, and Country Music," told AFP.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
The Rev. Israel Vázquez, 58, soft-spoken with close-cropped hair, had held Briany before, when he formally presented the baby to God in a ceremony at his Pentecostal church in Lakeland.
From Salon ● Mar. 24, 2026
Her religious parents took her to a Pentecostal church community outside of Wales when she was 14.
From BBC ● Mar. 12, 2026
She always carried a Bible with her and never talked bad about anybody and at school she only hung around with her Pentecostal friend, Lucy.
From "Bodega Dreams" by Ernesto Quinonez
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