I. ˈkris(h)chən, Brit often & US sometimes -styən or -stēən; in sense 1b sometimes ˈkrī- by nonmembers of these groups noun
( -s )
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: Latin christianus, adjective or noun, from Greek christianos, from Christos Christ
1.
a. : one who believes or professes or is assumed to believe in Jesus Christ and the truth as taught by him : an adherent of Christianity : one who has accepted the Christian religious and moral principles of life : one who has faith in and has pledged allegiance to God thought of as revealed in Christ : one whose life is conformed to the doctrines of Christ
in Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians — Acts 11:26 (Revised Standard Version)
b. : a member of a church or group professing Christian doctrine or belief: as
(1) : a member of the Disciples of Christ
(2) : a member of one of the Churches of Christ, a body of churches dedicated to the restoring of New Testament Christianity and the promotion of Christian unity by dispensing with creeds and sectarian names and relying on the Bible as the sole rule of faith and practice
(3) : a member of the Christian Church that united with Congregationalists in 1931 to form the Congregational Christian Churches
(4) : one of the Plymouth Brethren
2. now chiefly dialect : a human being as distinguished from a lower animal
3. : one born in a Christian country or of Christian parents who has not definitely adhered to an opposing system
II. adjective
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: alteration (influenced by Latin christianus ) of earlier cristen, from Middle English — more at christen
1. : professing or belonging to Christianity
a Christian people
a Christian country
2.
a. : of or relating to Jesus Christ
Christian religion
b. : of or based on Christianity : according to Christian principles
Christian art
a Christian burial
c. : of or relating to a Christian or Christians
one drop of Christian blood — Shakespeare
d. : representing Christianity
his most Christian majesty, the king
3.
a. : characteristic of Christian people : following Christ's precepts and example
b. now chiefly dialect : human as distinguished from brutish
c. : decent , civilized
act in a Christian fashion
4. obsolete : relating to the church : ecclesiastical — used chiefly in the phrase court Christian or Christian court
5. of a door : having the panels so placed that the design of a Latin cross is formed, formerly as a deterrent to evil spirits