Mithraism

[ mith-ruh-iz-uhm ]

noun

1. an ancient Persian religion in which Mithras was worshiped, involving secret rituals to which only men were admitted: a major competitor of Christianity in the Roman empire during the 2nd and 3rd centuries a.d.

Mithraism

/ ˈmɪθreɪˌɪzəm; mɪθˈreɪɪˌsɪzəm; mɪθˈreɪɪk /

noun

1. the ancient Persian religion of Mithras. It spread to the Roman Empire during the first three centuries ad

Derived Forms

• ˈMithraist, nounadjective
• Mithraic, adjective

Other Words From

• Mith·ra·ic [mith-, rey, -ik], Mithra·istic adjective
• Mithra·ist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Mithraism¹

Mithra(s) + -ism

Example Sentences

“Yalda” means birth, and in the pre-Zoroastrian religion Mithraism, the god of the sun was believed to have been born on the longest night of the year.

From New York Times

Unlike other Roman Gods, such as Jupiter, Mithraism was congregational in nature, Beard says.

From BBC

From the river Euphrates to the Wall of Antoninus in Britain, and into the forests of Germany, Mithraism everywhere prevailed.

From Project Gutenberg

He was well versed in Judaism and in the Mithraism and Alexandrian religion of the day.

From Project Gutenberg

In this effort, Mithraism was not so much impeded by a heritage of coarse legend as the worships of Pessinus and Alexandria.

From Project Gutenberg