— catechumenal, catechumenical /kat'i kyooh men"i keuhl/ , adj. — catechumenically , adv. — catechumenate /kat'i kyooh"meuh nayt', -nit/ , n. — catechumenism , n.
/kat'i kyooh"meuhn/ , n.
1. Eccles. a person under instruction in the rudiments of Christianity, as in the early church; a neophyte.
2. a person being taught the elementary facts, principles, etc., of any subject.
[ 1325-75; catechumenus katechoúmenos (one who is) being taught orally, equiv. to kateche-, s. of katecheîn to teach orally (see CATECHIST) + -omenos middle prp. suffix; r. ME cathecumyn cathecumine ]