Wesleyan

[ wes-lee-uhn, wez- ]

adjective

1. of or relating to John Wesley, founder of Methodism.
2. pertaining to Methodism.

noun

1. a follower of John Wesley.
2. Chiefly British. a Methodist.

Wesleyan

/ ˈwɛzlɪən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or deriving from John Wesley
2. of, relating to, or characterizing Methodism, esp in its original form or as upheld by the branch of the Methodist Church known as the Wesleyan Methodists

noun

1. a follower of John Wesley
2. a member of the Methodist Church or (formerly) of the Wesleyan Methodists

Derived Forms

• ˈWesleyanism, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Wesleyan¹

First recorded in 1765–75; Wesley + -an

Example Sentences

On election day, my husband and I met at a local Wesleyan church and went inside to cast our votes together.

From Salon

A musical theater graduate from Illinois Wesleyan University, she relocated from her hometown of Phoenix to New York to pursue a career on Broadway.

From Los Angeles Times

One who has tried to keep up, retired West Virginia Wesleyan political history professor Robert Rupp, brings his own metaphor to the discussion.

From Seattle Times

Others, like Wesleyan University, said protesters would face discipline but that officials would not use force to clear the tents if students remained nonviolent.

From New York Times

The president of Wesleyan University, a liberal arts school in Connecticut, has commended the on-campus demonstration — which includes a pro-Palestinian tent encampment — as an act of political expression.

From Seattle Times