Christian

¹

[ kris-chuhn ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or derived from Jesus Christ or His teachings:

   a Christian faith.

2. of, pertaining to, believing in, or belonging to the religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ:

   Spain is a Christian country.

3. of or relating to Christians:

   many Christian deaths in the Crusades.

4. exhibiting a spirit proper to a follower of Jesus Christ; Christlike:

   She displayed true Christian charity.

5. Sometimes Offensive. decent; respectable:

   They gave him a good Christian burial.

6. Sometimes Offensive. human; not brutal; humane:

   Such behavior isn't Christian.

noun

1. a person who believes in Jesus Christ; adherent of Christianity.
2. a person who exemplifies in their life the teachings of Christ:

   He died like a true Christian.

3. a member of any of certain Protestant churches, as the Disciples of Christ and the Plymouth Brethren.
4. the hero of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.
5. a male given name.

Christian

²

[ kris-chuhn ]

noun

1. Charlie, 1916–42, U.S. jazz guitarist.

Christian

¹

/ ˈkrɪstʃən /

noun

1. 1. a person who believes in and follows Jesus Christ
   2. a member of a Christian Church or denomination
2. informal.
   a person who possesses Christian virtues, esp practical ones

adjective

1. of, relating to, or derived from Jesus Christ, his teachings, example, or his followers
2. sometimes not capital exhibiting kindness or goodness

Christian

²

/ ˈkrɪstʃən /

noun

1. ChristianCharlie19191942MUSMUSIC: jazz guitarist Charlie. 1919–42, US jazz guitarist

Christian

¹

1. A follower of Jesus and his teachings. Christian is also a descriptive term for the institutions and practices of Christianity .

Christian

²

1. A follower or disciple of Jesus ; someone who believes Jesus is the Christ or Messiah . The New Testament mentions that the followers of Jesus were first called Christians within a few years after his death.

Derived Forms

• ˈChristianly, adjectiveadverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of Christian¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; from Latin Chrīstiānus, from Greek Chrīstiānós, equivalent to Chrīst(ós) Christ + -iānos, from Latin -iānus -ian; replacing Middle English, Old English cristen from Latin, as above

Example Sentences

Nayfack: I wish more evangelical Christians would go back and read their Bibles.

From Los Angeles Times

The longtime coach was working as an offensive assistant at Texas Christian after being fired as Houston’s coach.

From Los Angeles Times

"The biggest thing mainstream analysis refuses to comprehend is the continued power of a politics of racial grievance and religious nostalgia among white Christian Americans."

From Salon

The sister of a 16-year-old boy who drowned while swimming naked at a Christian holiday camp in Zimbabwe run by child abuser John Smyth blames the Church of England for his death.

From BBC

The Christian nationalist turnout machine is much more robust, and it brings huge numbers of extremely reliable voters to the Republican side.

From Salon