Pietism

[ pahy-i-tiz-uhm ]
See synonyms for Pietism on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a movement, originating in the Lutheran Church in Germany in the 17th century, that stressed personal piety over religious formality and orthodoxy.

  2. the principles and practices of the Pietists.

  1. (lowercase) intensity of religious devotion or feeling.

  2. (lowercase) exaggeration or affectation of piety.

Origin of Pietism

1
1690–1700; <German Pietismus<Latin piet(ās) piety + German -ismus-ism

Other words for Pietism

Other words from Pietism

  • Pi·e·tist, noun
  • pi·e·tis·tic, pi·e·tis·ti·cal, adjective
  • pi·e·tis·ti·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use Pietism in a sentence

  • She caused the Pietist to visit her daily and instruct her in the stern belief.

    A German Pompadour | Marie Hay
  • More than once she had thought of changing her mode of life to plunge into a pietist course of simplicity and asceticism.

    Greifenstein | F. Marion Crawford
  • These laconic words of this wise pietist give us an insight into the significance of emotional life of woman.

    Criminal Psychology | Hans Gross
  • The Duchess seemed much annoyed, and said that in this case she would invite the Pietist to preach to her in the castle itself.

    A German Pompadour | Marie Hay
  • Kanitz is a pietist and legitimist, while Blow is neither one nor the other.

British Dictionary definitions for pietism (1 of 2)

pietism

/ (ˈpaɪɪˌtɪzəm) /


noun
  1. a less common word for piety

  2. excessive, exaggerated, or affected piety or saintliness

Derived forms of pietism

  • pietist, noun
  • pietistic or pietistical, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for Pietism (2 of 2)

Pietism

/ (ˈpaɪɪˌtɪzəm) /


noun
  1. history a reform movement in the German Lutheran Churches during the 17th and 18th centuries that strove to renew the devotional ideal

Derived forms of Pietism

  • Pietist, noun

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