religious

[ri-lij-uhs]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or concerned with religion.

   a religious holiday.

2. imbued with or exhibiting religion; pious; devout; godly.

   a religious man.

   Synonyms: reverent
   Antonyms: impious

3. scrupulously faithful; conscientious.

   religious care.

   Synonyms: rigorous, meticulous, strict, scrupulous

4. pertaining to or connected with a monastic or religious order.

5. appropriate to religion or to sacred rites or observances.

noun

plural

religious 

1. a member of a religious order, congregation, etc.; a monk, friar, or nun.

2. the religious, devout or religious persons.

   Each year, thousands of the religious make pilgrimages to the shrine.

religious

/ rɪˈlɪdʒəs /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or concerned with religion

2. 1. pious; devout; godly

   2. ( as collective noun ; preceded by the )

      the religious

3. appropriate to or in accordance with the principles of a religion

4. scrupulous, exact, or conscientious

5. Christianity of or relating to a way of life dedicated to religion by the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and defined by a monastic rule

noun

1. Christianity a member of an order or congregation living by such a rule; a monk, friar, or nun

Other Word Forms

• religiously adverb
• religiousness noun
• antireligious adjective
• nonreligious adjective
• nonreligiousness noun
• overreligious adjective
• prereligious adjective
• pseudoreligious adjective
• quasi-religious adjective
• ultrareligious adjective
• ultrareligiousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of religious¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English (from Old French ), from Latin religiōsus, equivalent to religi(ō) religion + -ōsus -ous

Synonym Study

Religious, devout, pious indicate a spirit of reverence toward God. Religious is a general word, applying to whatever pertains to faith or worship: a religious ceremony. Devout indicates a fervent spirit, usually genuine and often independent of outward observances: a deeply devout though unorthodox church member. Pious implies constant attention to, and extreme conformity with, outward observances. It can also suggest sham or hypocrisy: a pious hypocrite.

Example Sentences

Issued under Deng Xiaoping, Document 19 was often presented to the outside world as a liberalizing gesture, since it criticized the excesses of the Cultural Revolution and permitted “normal religious activities” under state supervision.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

One piece of research gathered the stories of survivors of abuse in what are termed "faith settings" – which can include churches, schools and other places where clergy and leaders in religious organisations abused children.

Read more on BBC

Mr. Ozawa’s direction tells the opera’s story clearly without anchoring it in any specific time, place, or religious tradition.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But he stresses that “one of the achievements of the Franco movement was to save the religious structure of Spain, to save the Catholic Church, which was being destroyed by the revolution.”

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The law, which went into effect in 2020, has led to thousands of lawsuits filed against California school districts, governments and religious institutions.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• doctrinal 
• holy 
• sacred 
• sectarian 
• theological