Mennonite

American  

[men-uh-nahyt] / ˈmɛn əˌnaɪt /

noun

1. a member of an evangelical Protestant sect, originating in Europe in the 16th century, that opposes infant baptism, practices baptism of believers only, restricts marriage to members of the denomination, opposes war and bearing arms, and is noted for simplicity of living and plain dress.

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Mennonite British  

/ ˈmɛnəˌnaɪt /

noun

1. a member of a Protestant sect that rejects infant baptism, Church organization, and the doctrine of transubstantiation and in most cases refuses military service, public office, and the taking of oaths

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Other Word Forms

• Mennonitism noun

Etymology

Origin of Mennonite

1555–65; < German Mennonit; named after Menno Simons (1492–1559), Frisian religious leader; -ite ¹

Compare meaning

How does mennonite compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Amish vs. Mennonite

Example Sentences

It spread to Mexico when an unvaccinated Mennonite child returned home after visiting family in Seminole.

From Salon • Aug. 26, 2025

In Ontario, health authorities say the outbreak began in late 2024, when an individual contracted measles at a large Mennonite gathering in New Brunswick and then returned home.

From BBC • Jul. 20, 2025

You know that the child’s Mennonite community in West Texas continues to get hit hard, with 223 cases as of Tuesday.

From Slate • Mar. 12, 2025

Amish and Mennonite families relocated there from Pennsylvania in the 1930s, according to a county tourism website.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 11, 2023

The new people were something else before they were white—Catholic, Corsican, Welsh, Mennonite, Jewish—and if all our national hopes have any fulfillment, then they will have to be something else again.

From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates