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Synonyms

theologian

American  
[thee-uh-loh-juhn, -jee-uhn] / ˌθi əˈloʊ dʒən, -dʒi ən /

noun

  1. a person versed in theology, the study of matters relating to religious beliefs, practices, and doctrine.

theologian British  
/ ˌθɪəˈləʊdʒɪən /

noun

  1. a person versed in or engaged in the study of theology, esp Christian theology

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
theologian Cultural  

  1. A person who engages in theology. Some notable theologians are Thomas Aquinas, Augustine, John Calvin, and Martin Luther.

Other Word Forms

  • antitheologian noun

Etymology

Origin of theologian

First recorded in 1475–85; theology + -an; replacing earlier theologien, from Middle French

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.

It’s one of the many issues he addresses in “Conversations on Faith,” written by Mr. Scorsese and Antonio Spadaro, an Italian Jesuit, theologian and essayist.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Chakwera was an Assemblies of God theologian before entering politics, and Sekeya, who describes himself as a prophet, warned anyone going after the former president not to expect help from above.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 13, 2026

Liz Theoharis is a theologian, ordained minister and anti-poverty activist.

From Salon • Jul. 21, 2025

André Gagné, a theologian and author of “American Evangelicals for Trump: Dominion, Spiritual Warfare, and the End Times,” writes about the ways in which the mandate spreads by empowering local leaders and believers.

From Salon • Jul. 11, 2025

In 1929, the theologian H. Richard Niebuhr described born-again Christianity as the “religion of the disinherited.”

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.