(initial capital letter)the religious movement in the 16th century that had for its object the reform of the Roman Catholic Church, and that led to the establishment of the Protestant churches.
Origin of reformation
1375–1425;late Middle Englishreformacion < Latinrefōrmātiōn- (stem of refōrmātiō), equivalent to refōrmāt(us) (past participle of refōrmāre to reform) + -iōn--ion
Related formsref·or·ma·tion·al, adjectivenon·ref·or·ma·tion, nounnon·ref·or·ma·tion·al, adjectivepost-Ref·or·ma·tion, nounpre-Ref·or·ma·tion, nounpre·ref·or·ma·tion, adjectiveself-ref·or·ma·tion, nounsu·per·ref·or·ma·tion, noun
the act or an instance of reforming or the state of being reformed
Derived Formsreformational, adjective
Reformation
noun
a religious and political movement of 16th-century Europe that began as an attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the establishment of the Protestant Churches
"improvement, alteration for the better," late 14c., "restoration;" mid-15c., "improvement," from Old French reformacion and directly from Latin reformationem (nominative reformatio), noun of action from past participle stem of reformare (see reform (v.)). In reference to the European religious movement, it is attested by 1540s, borrowed from Luther. The movement began as a bid to reform doctrines and practices of the Church of Rome.
A religious movement in the sixteenth century that began as an attempted reform of the Roman Catholic Church but resulted in the founding of Protestantchurches separate from it. Some of the leaders of the Reformation were Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Knox. The Reformation was established in England after King Henry VIII declared himself head of the Christian Church in that country.
