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Synonyms

theologian

American  
[thee-uh-loh-juhn, -jee-uhn] / ˌθi əˈloʊ dʒən, -dʒi ən /

noun

  1. a person versed in theology, the study of matters relating to religious beliefs, practices, and doctrine.

theologian British  
/ ˌθɪəˈləʊdʒɪən /

noun

  1. a person versed in or engaged in the study of theology, esp Christian theology

"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
theologian Cultural  

  1. A person who engages in theology. Some notable theologians are Thomas Aquinas, Augustine, John Calvin, and Martin Luther.

Other Word Forms

  • antitheologian noun

Etymology

Origin of theologian

First recorded in 1475–85; theology + -an; replacing earlier theologien, from Middle French

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It’s one of the many issues he addresses in “Conversations on Faith,” written by Mr. Scorsese and Antonio Spadaro, an Italian Jesuit, theologian and essayist.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Chakwera was an Assemblies of God theologian before entering politics, and Sekeya, who describes himself as a prophet, warned anyone going after the former president not to expect help from above.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 13, 2026

Hoffman added that, as a pastor and theologian, he was concerned by not just the religious questions people ask AI, but also by the sorts of beliefs that Christians might be forming about AI.

From Salon • Dec. 27, 2025

Also this month, the King went to the Oratory of St Philip Neri in Birmingham, founded by the 19th Century Catholic theologian and philosopher, St John Henry Newman.

From BBC • Sep. 26, 2025

Erasmus’s friend Harriet Martineau had a brother, James, who was a Unitarian theologian.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.