pre-Christian

[ pree-kris-chuhn ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to a time or period before the Christian Era.

pre-Christian

adjective

1. of or referring to the period of history prior to the establishment of Christianity

Word History and Origins

Origin of pre-Christian¹

First recorded in 1820–30; pre- + Christian

Example Sentences

The council said the scholar wrote that King Raedwald had a temple in which there were altars to pre-Christian gods alongside an altar to Christ, but did not specifically say that this was at Rendlesham.

From BBC

“She didn’t become a Christian until into her teens. And she would have inherited some of the folklore and some of the attributes of the pre-Christian goddess. And some of those are really lovely attributes.”

From Seattle Times

The pre-Christian Druids in England and Gaul brought holly boughs indoors so woodland spirits could safely shelter from the winter cold — hence the first holiday decorations.

From Seattle Times

It was the perfect setting for Heilung, whose work over the past eight years has put a heavy metal twist on the music of pre-Christian Europe.

From New York Times

Since the 1980s, Neo-Pagans and Wiccans have revived the pre-Christian festival.

From Salon