Protestantism

American  

[prot-uh-stuhn-tiz-uhm] / ˈprɒt ə stənˌtɪz əm /

noun

1. the religion of Protestants.

2. the Protestant churches collectively.

3. adherence to Protestant principles.

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Protestantism British  

/ ˈprɒtɪstənˌtɪzəm /

noun

1. the religion or religious system of any of the Churches of Western Christendom that are separated from the Roman Catholic Church and adhere substantially to principles established by Luther, Calvin, etc, in the Reformation

2. the Protestant Churches collectively

3. adherence to the principles of the Reformation

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Other Word Forms

• anti-Protestantism
  noun
• pro-Protestantism
  noun

Etymology

Origin of Protestantism

First recorded in 1640–50; Protestant + -ism

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Protestantism

It recognises Protestantism and Catholicism as official religions, but practising organisations must register with the government -- something many Christians feel yields an unacceptable amount of control over church affairs and teachings.

From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026

Dulles came to believe that religion, specifically an ecumenical Protestantism aiming to promote cooperation among different sects, was the missing link that could provide a moral architecture for the global system.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 15, 2026

He says there is an "inherited fault line" on Irish immigration, Irish Catholicism and Scottish Protestantism in the west coast, which goes back to the 19th Century.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2024

Ufology, like Protestantism, is a big-tent religion, and “A lot of this overlaps,” Janix said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2024

He didn’t mean to start a breakaway church, but within a few decades swathes of Europe had switched to one form of Protestantism or another.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall