apostolic

Learned borrowing from Latin apostolicus (“apostolic”), from Ancient Greek ἀποστολικός (apostolikós, “apostolic”).

apostolic church

the church of any of the apostolic see; the Christian church in general during the apostolic age

apostolic father

any of various early Christian theologians or leading figures traditionally believed to have known the apostles

apostolic poverty

a 13th-century doctrine professed by the mendicant order

apostolic see

any of the see according to tradition founded by apostles

an apostolic mission

Amply shall I deem myself remunerated if either by the holy Charm, the good Spell of Leighton's Words, than which few if any since the Apostolic age better deserve the name of Evangelical, or by my own notes and interpolations, the reflecting Reader should be enabled to apprehend—for we may rightly apprehend what no finite mind can fully comprehend—and attach a distinct meaning to, the Mysteries into which his Baptism is the initiation; and thus to feel and know, that Christian Faith is the perfection of Human Reason.

1825, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “Reflections respecting Morality”, in Aids to Reflection, page 58:

Chapter 3 demonstrated that high churchmen perceived the Church of England to be a visible society and a member of the one holy catholic and apostolic church, though they particularly emphasized the apostolicity of the church.

1993, Robert D. Cornwall, Visible and Apostolic: The Constitution of the Church in High Church Anglican and Non-Juror Thought, University of Delaware Press, Associated University Presses, page 74:

That was the story of The Salvation Army repeated in many places, at least partly because a small group of people touched the power of the apostolic anointing.[…]In this true story about William Booth, we have an example of what is meant to happen under apostolic grace.

2002, John Kingsley Alley, The Apostolic Revelation: The Reformation of the Church, Peace Publishing, page 153:

I would like to give this dissertation on the apostolic world of thought in early Christian iconography the subtitle of 'In the land of the blessed' —'Μακάρων ἐνἱ χώρῳ'.

2004, Arnold Provoost, “The Apostolic Way of Thought in Early Christian Iconography”, in A. Hilhorst, editor, The Apostolic Age in Patristic Thought, BRILL, page 158:

2008, Jonas Clark, Advanced Apostolic Studies, Spirit of Life Publishing, page 60,
Apostolic churches break out of the four walls of the sanctuary onto the streets and into the homes to preach the Gospel.

(Christianity) Pertaining to apostles or their practice or teaching; pertaining to the apostles (of early Christianity) or their teachings.


ornament

en-noun

ornament (countable and uncountable, plural ornaments)

/ˈɔɹnəˌmɛnt/

From Middle English ornament, from Old French ornement, from Latin ornamentum (“equipment, apparatus, furniture, trappings, adornment, embellishment”), from ornāre, present active infinitive of ornō (“I equip, adorn”). The verb is derived from the noun.

der

(Christianity, in the plural) The articles used in church services.


episcopal

en-adj

episcopal (comparative more episcopal, superlative most episcopal)

more episcopal (comparative)
most episcopal (superlative)

From Middle English episcopal, from Late Latin episcopālis, from Latin episcopus, from Ancient Greek ἐπίσκοπος (epískopos, “watchman, overseer”).

der

Inthronization, in ancient times, immediately succeeded the rite of consecration; the new bishop being honourably placed in his episcopal chair by the prelates assembled for his consecration.

1845, William Palmer, Origines Liturgicae, or, Antiquities of the English Ritual: And a Dissertation on Primitive Liturgies, 4th edition, volume 2, London: Francis & John Rivington, →OCLC, page 310:

Of or relating to the affairs of a bishop in various Christian churches.


Easter Sunday

(Christianity) Easter Day, a Christian religious moveable holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.


Good Friday

From good (“holy”); compare good tide to refer to Christmas or Shrovetide (e.g. Goodtyde and Gudtyde in some British dialects), Good Wednesday, and the Good Book to refer to the Bible. Earlier called Old English Langa-Friġedæġ (“Long Friday”).

inh

But Good Friday soon restored to lord Nelville all those religious emotions, the want of which he so much regretted on the preceding days.

1807, [Germaine] de Staël Holstein, translated by D[ennis] Lawler, “[Book X. Holy week.] Chap[ter] IV.”, in Corinna; or, Italy. […], volume III, London: […] Corri, […]; and sold by Colburn, […], and Mackenzie, […], →OCLC, page 43:

(Christianity) The Friday before Easter Sunday, the commemoration of the day on which Christ was crucified.

성금요일

used predominantly in the Roman Catholic church


apparition

/ˌæp.əɹˈɪʃn̩/

/ˌæp.ɚˈɪʃ.n̩/

/ˌæp.ɚˈɪ.ʃən/

From Middle French apparition, from Latin apparitio, from appareo.

the sudden apparition of the Spaniards

1855–1858, William H[ickling] Prescott, History of the Reign of Philip the Second, King of Spain, volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Boston, Mass.: Phillips, Sampson, and Company, →OCLC:

The apparition of Lawyer Clippurse occasioned much speculation in that portion of the world.

1814 July 7, [Walter Scott], Waverley; or, ’Tis Sixty Years Since. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC:

An act of becoming visible; appearance; visibility.

The attic is haunted by the ghostly apparition of a young girl who died there.

I think it is the weakness of mine eyes / That shapes this monstrous apparition.

1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:

The heavenly bands […] a glorious apparition.

1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

The apparition wobbled in front of Arthur's eyes, though the truth of the matter is probably that Arthur's eyes were wobbling in front of the apparition.

1982, Douglas Adams, Life, the Universe and Everything, page 24:

An unexpected, wonderful, or preternatural appearance; especially something such as a ghost or phantom.

привидение

(astronomy) The first appearance of a star or other luminary after having been invisible or obscured; opposed to occultation.

видимост

astronomy: the first appearance of a luminary after having been invisible or obscured

(astronomy) A period of consecutive days or nights when a particular celestial body may be observed, beginning with the heliacal rising of the body and ending with its heliacal setting.


appearance

en-noun

appearance (countable and uncountable, plural appearances)

Borrowed from Middle French apparence, from Latin apparentia, from appareo. Morphologically appear + -ance. Displaced native Old English hīew (the way something looks or seems) and ætīewednes (act of appearing or coming into view).

явяване

The coming into court of either of the parties

Catholicism teaches that the Eucharist, while remaining under the physical appearance of bread and wine, becomes really and truly the body and the blood of Christ.

(philosophy, theology) That which is not substance, essence, hypostasis; the outward reality as opposed to the underlying reality


crucifix

From Middle English crucifix, from Old French crocefis (French crucifix), from Latin crucifixus.

A wooden cross used for crucifixions, as by the Romans.

Plain crosses are preferred by Protestants, but crucifixes by Catholics.

An ornamental or symbolic sculptural representation of Christ on a cross, often worn as a pendant or displayed in a Christian church.

(gymnastics) The iron cross, a position on the rings where the gymnast holds the rings straight out on either side of the body.


bagi

The bar was deserted, but when Max Beauvoir and I entered the hounfour there were three of them, sitting with their backs to the ochre walls of the bagi.

1985, Wade Davis, The Serpent and the Rainbow, Simon & Schuster, page 89:

The various fronds are fixed in front of the doors of the bagi and the peristyle as well as to the potomitan […].

2013, Patrick Taylor, Frederick I. Case, editors, The Encyclopedia of Caribbean Religions: Volume 1, page 1065:

“This is a very important time for Vodou” Papa Baz tells me as he works in the bagi.

2015, Manbo Paula Wedo, Manbo Jumbo, page 370:


crucifixion

crucifixion (countable and uncountable, plural crucifixions)

/ˌkɹuːsɪˈfɪkʃən/

From Middle English crucifixioun, from Late Latin noun of process crucifīxiō, from perfect passive participle crucifīxus (“fixed to a cross”), from crux (“cross”) + fīgō.

kruisiging

An execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross and left to hang there until dead.

(Christianity, often capitalized) The death of Jesus Christ on the Cross.


resurrection

resurrection (countable and uncountable, plural resurrections)

/ɹɛzəˈɹɛkʃən/

/ɹɛzəˈɹɛkʃn̩/

From Anglo-Norman resurrectiun, from Old French resurrection (French: résurrection), from Late Latin resurrectionem (accusative of resurrectiō) from Latin resurgō (“I rise again”), from re- (“again”), + surgō (“I rise”). Displaced native Old English ǣrist.

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Revelation 20:5–6:

(Christianity, Islam, Judaism) The general resurrection.


antediluvian

en-adj

antediluvian (comparative more antediluvian, superlative most antediluvian)

more antediluvian (comparative)
most antediluvian (superlative)

PIE word
 *dwís
From ante- (prefix meaning ‘prior to in time’) + Latin dīluvium (“a flood”) + -an (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives; and forming agent nouns), referring the story of Noah’s Ark, through which God rescues Noah, his family, and examples of all the world’s animals from the great flood, which is related in Genesis 6–9 of the Bible. Dīluvium is derived from dīluō (“to wash away”) (from dis- (prefix meaning ‘apart, asunder, in two’) + lavō (“to wash”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *lewh₃- (“to wash”))) + -ium (suffix forming abstract nouns). The English word is analysable as ante- + diluvian.
Sense 2 (“long extinct”) is from the fact that such animals and plants were originally believed to have perished in the biblical flood referred to above.

affix

[P]erhaps ſome perſons might outlive Methuſelah; the Text intending onely the maſculine line of Seth, conduceable unto the Genealogy of our Saviour, and the antediluvian Chronology.

1646, Thomas Browne, “Of Methuselah”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], London: […] T[homas] H[arper] for Edward Dod, […], →OCLC, 7th book, pages 343–344:

For Noah, vvho had no doubt preach'd againſt the Vices of the Antediluvian VVorld, and againſt Drunkenneſs among the reſt, muſt certainly knovv the Uſe of the Vine, and the Abuſe of it too; hovv elſe did he come to plant it at all, and to preſs the Juice out for Drinking it at all?

1727, [Daniel Defoe], “Of what Shapes the Devil Assum’d in His First Appearances to the Magicians, and Others, in the First Ages of the World; and whether He is, or has been,, Allow’d to Assume a Human Shape, or No”, in A System of Magick; or, A History of the Black Art. […], London: […] J. Roberts […], →OCLC, page 95:

The great Egyptian age is but a remnant of the Atlantean culture / The antediluvian kings colonized the world / All the gods who play in the mythological dramas / In all legends from all lands were from fair Atlantis

1968 November, Donovan Leitch (lyrics and music), “Atlantis”, in Barabajagal, performed by Donovan, New York, N.Y.: Epic Records, →OCLC:

(biblical) Belonging or pertaining to, or existing in, the time prior to the great flood described in Genesis, or (by extension) to a great or destructive flood or deluge described in other mythologies.

անդրջրհեղեղյան

belonging or pertaining to, or existing in, the time prior to the great flood described in Genesis

անդրջրհեղեղյան

belonging or pertaining to, or existing in, the time prior to a great or destructive flood or deluge described in other mythologies


antediluvian

(biblical) A person who lived in the time prior to the great flood described in Genesis, especially one of the biblical patriarchs.


adiaphoristic

en-adj

adiaphoristic (comparative more adiaphoristic, superlative most adiaphoristic)

more adiaphoristic (comparative)
most adiaphoristic (superlative)


adiaphoron

/ˌædiˈæfəɹən/

Neuter of Ancient Greek ἀδιάφορος (adiáphoros, “indifferent”).

der

(theology) Something neither forbidden nor commanded by scripture.


miracle

From Middle English miracle, from Old French miracle, from Latin mīrāculum (“object of wonder”), from mīror (“to wonder at”), from mīrus (“wonderful”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)meyh₂- (“to smile, to be astonished”). Doublet of milagro and miraculum. Partially displaced native wonder, from Old English wundor (“miracle, wonder”).

Many religious beliefs are based on miracles.

An example of a miracle associated with Muhammad is the splitting of the moon.

That’s fantastic! And he’s right, it is a miracle! E-Except when you think about it, it’s actually not, it’s science, which I’d argue is actually better and more convenient than a miracle because you don’t have to spend the next 2000 years worshipping the scientists, you can just be like, “thanks!”

2018 July 1, “Gene Editing”, in Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, season 5, episode 18, John Oliver (actor), via HBO:

An event that appears inexplicable by the laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural in origin.


Holy Grail

the Holy Grail (canonical)
Holy Grails (plural)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-Holy Grail.wav

From Middle English Holy Grayle.
(web page layout): So called because it was traditionally difficult to achieve with the available markup.

(Arthurian legend) An artifact in Arthurian mythology, being the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper and in which some of his blood was caught during the crucifixion.


apa

A title used for male clergy or saints in the Coptic Church.


appointment

[əˈpʰɔɪ̯nʔmɪnʔ]

[əˈpʰɔɪ̯̃ʔmɪnʔ]

From Middle English appoyntement, apoyntement, from Old French appointement, equivalent to appoint + -ment.

to submit to the divine appointments

According to the appointment of the priests.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ezra 6:9:

(religion) Decree; direction; established order or constitution.

ohje

decree; direction; established order or constitution


warlock

From Middle English warloghe, warlowe, warloȝe, from Old English wǣrloga (“traitor, deceiver”, literally “truce-breaker”), from Proto-West Germanic *wārulogō (“liar”), equivalent to Old English wǣr (“covenant, truce, pact, promise”) (from Proto-Indo-European *weh₁- (“true”); whence also Latin vērus) + loga (“liar”), from Proto-Germanic *lugô, related to Old English lēogan (whence English lie). The hard -ck ending originated in Scottish and Northern English, like the sense "male magic-user" (from the notion that such men were in league with the Devil and had thus broken their baptismal vows / betrayed Christianity). Cognate with Old Saxon wārlogo (“liar, unfaithful or insidious one”).
A few writers alternatively propose a derivation from Old Norse varðlokkur (“incantations, charms”, literally “ward songs”), but as the OED notes, this is implausible due to the extreme rarity of the Norse word, the semantic difference, and because forms without hard -k, which are consistent with the Old English etymology (“traitor”), are attested earlier than forms with -k, and forms with -ð- are not attested.

cog

He was himself a warlock, or wizard, which they knew by his taking the witch's part.

1730, Edward Burt, Letters from a Gentleman in the North of Scotland:

It was the day of warlocks and apparitions, now happily driven out by the zeal of the General Assembly.

1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:


crescent

From Middle English cressaunt, from Anglo-Norman cressaunt and Old French creissant (“crescent of the moon”) (French croissant), from Latin crēscēns, present active participle of crēscō (“arise, thrive”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱreh₁- (“to grow”). See Old Armenian սերիմ (serim, “be born”) and սերեմ (serem, “bring forth”), Ancient Greek κόρη (kórē, “girl”) and κούρος (koúros, “boy”), Latin creāre (“produce, create, bring forth”) and Ceres (“goddess of agriculture”). Doublet of croissant.
The pronunciation with /z/ is a comparatively recent innovation due to the influence of words such as pheasant and present.

der

The Turkish flag features a white star and crescent on red base.

Something shaped like a crescent, especially:

(Islam) A representation of a crescent, used as a symbol of Islam.


Semitic

From Semite + -ic (18th century), from German semitisch, from Ancient Greek Σήμ (Sḗm), from the Hebrew שֵׁם (Šēm, “Shem”), the name of the eldest son of Noah in biblical tradition (Genesis 5.32, 6.10, 10.21), considered the forefather of the Semitic peoples. Perhaps derived from Akkadian 𒈬 (šumu, literally “name" or "son”). The word was coined and first applied to the Semitic languages by August Ludwig von Schlözer in 1781.

uder

Of or pertaining to the Semites; of or pertaining to one or more Semitic peoples.

(biblical) Of or pertaining to the descendants of Shem, the eldest of three sons of Noah.


provost

From Middle English, from late Old English prōfost, prāfost, from Late Latin prōpositus, variant of Latin praepositus (“[one] placed in command”). In some senses, via Anglo-Norman provolt; via Anglo-Norman and Old French provost (modern French prévôt). As a Central European ecclesiastical office, via German Propst, Danish provst, etc.

steward

deputy overseeing medieval estates or fees

police officer

deputy overseeing medieval law enforcement; military police

One placed in charge: a head, a chief, particularly:

(religion, historical) A dean: the head of a cathedral chapter.

(religion) The head of various other ecclesiastical bodies, even (rare, obsolete) muezzins.

(religion) The minister of the chief Protestant church of a town or region in Germany, the Low Countries, and Scandinavia.

A senior deputy, a superintendent, particularly:

(religion, historical) A prior: an abbot's second-in-command.

A senior deputy, a superintendent
A prior: an abbot's second-in-command.

provst

highest position in a monastery below an abbot


baptism

en-noun

baptism (countable and uncountable, plural baptisms)

From Middle English bapteme, baptesme, from Old French batesme or bapteme, from Ecclesiastical Latin, Late Latin baptisma, from Ancient Greek βάπτισμα (báptisma, “dipping, baptism”), from βαπτίζω (baptízō, “I dip in liquid”). Displaced native Old English fulwiht.

der

(Christianity) A Christian sacrament, by which one is received into a church and sometimes given a name, generally involving the candidate to be anointed with or submerged in water.


Jesus Christ

Jesus + Christ; from Middle English Jesu Crist, Jesus Crist, from Latin Iēsus Chrīstus.

Almighty God, give us the grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life (in which thy son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility;)

1681, Church of England, The book of common prayer:

(Christianity, Islam, Baháʼí) Jesus of Nazareth, a first-century Jewish religious preacher and craftsman (commonly understood to have been a carpenter, see Ancient Greek τέκτων (téktōn, “builder”)) from Galilee, held to be a prophet, teacher and the Messiah, or Christ, in Christianity. Also held to be a prophet in Islam and the Baháʼí Faith.

ܝܶܫܽܘܥ ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ

Yešūʿ M'šīḥāʿ

ܝܼܫܘܿܥ ܡܫܝܼܚܵܐ

Īšōʿ M'šīḥāʿ

ܝܶܫܽܘܥ ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ

Yešūʿ M'šīḥōʿ

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints


Thor

Representing Old Norse Þórr. Cognate with Old English Þunor, Swedish Tor.

So likewise a day comes when the Runic Thor, with his Eddas, must withdraw into dimness; and many an African Mumbo-Jumbo and Indian Pawpaw be utterly abolished.

1831, Thomas Carlyle, “Symbols”, in Sartor Resartus: The Life and Opinions of Herr Teufelsdröckh. […], London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, 3rd book, page 155:

(Norse mythology) A hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, and the protection of mankind.

A male given name from the Germanic languages occasionally borrowed from Scandinavia.


schism

From Middle English scisme, from Old French cisme or scisme, from Ancient Greek σχίσμα (skhísma, “division”), from σχίζω (skhízō, “I split”). Doublet of schisma.
This word was historically pronounced /ˈsɪzəm/ (and still is among the clergy); the pronunciations /ˈʃɪzəm/, /ˈskɪzəm/ are due to the spelling (the latter may have been reinforced by learned influence); compare schedule.

The schism between Sunnis and Shias happened quite early in Islamic history.

(religion) A formal division or split within a religious body.

(Catholicism) a split within Christianity whereby a group no longer recognizes the Bishop of Rome as the head of the Church, but shares essentially the same beliefs with the Church of Rome. In other words, a political split without the introduction of heresy.


Neptune

From Middle English Neptune, Neptunus, a borrowing from Latin Neptūnus, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *nébʰ-tu-s (“damp, cloudy”) (source of Ancient Greek νέφος (néphos), Sanskrit नभस् (nábhas), etc.), with the sense of "wet, moist."
Puhvel, however, connects it with Proto-Italic *nepōts from Proto-Indo-European *népōts by analogy to Portūnus, cognate with Vedic Apām Napāt and Avestan Apąm Napāt, Child (cf: neve, nephew) of the Water as part of an Indo-European 'Fire in the Water' myth.

Neptune
Neptune (disambiguation)#Places
Neptune (god)

(Roman mythology) The god of the ocean and of earthquakes, equivalent to Poseidon in Greek mythology.


reincarnation

en-noun

reincarnation (countable and uncountable, plural reincarnations)

/ˌɹiːɪŋkɑː(ɹ)ˈneɪʃən/

a reincarnation of an old video game


use

use (countable and uncountable, plural uses)

Noun from Middle English use, from Old French us, from Latin ūsus (“use, custom, skill, habit”), from past participle stem of ūtor (“use”). Displaced native Middle English note (“use”) (see note) from Old English notu, Middle English nutte (“use”) from Old English nytt, Old English fricu, and Old English sidu.
Verb from Middle English usen, from Old French user (“use, employ, practice”), from Medieval Latin usare (“use”), frequentative form of past participle stem of Latin uti (“to use”). Displaced native Middle English noten, nutten (“to use”) (from Old English notian, nēotan, nyttian) and Middle English brouken, bruken (“to use, enjoy”) (from Old English brūcan).

der

the Sarum, or Canterbury, use; the York use; the Ordinariate use

From henceforth all the whole realm shall have but one use.

1549 March 7, Thomas Cranmer [et al.], compilers, The Booke of the Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacramentes, […], London: […] Edowardi Whitchurche […], →OCLC:

(Christianity) A special form of a rite adopted for use in a particular context, often a diocese.


carol

en-verb

carol (third-person singular simple present carols, present participle (UK) carolling or (US) caroling, simple past and past participle (UK) carolled or (US) caroled)

carols (present singular third-person)
carolling (UK participle present)
caroling (US participle present)
carolled (UK participle past)
carolled (UK past)
caroled (US participle past)
caroled (US past)

From Middle English carole, from Old French carole, from Old Italian carola, from Medieval Latin choraula, a variant of choraulēs (“flute player accompanying a chorus dance”), from Ancient Greek χοραυλής (khoraulḗs, “one who accompanies a chorus on the flute”), from χορός (khorós, “choir; dance”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰer- (“to enclose”) or *ǵʰoros) + αὐλός (aulós, “flute”) (from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewlos (“tube”)). Compare chorus, terpsichorean.

der

Christmas morning was welcomed by services in some churches. Everyone in the Bingham house, along with other church members, went carolling at five o'clock in the morning, which culminated in the Christmas message at the church, delivered by the pastor. Everyone's heart was blessed.

2012, Patrena Dawkins-Anderson, chapter 8, in Chongtu: Conflict, Pittsburgh, Pa.: Red Lead Press, →ISBN, page 48:

Gather up the neighbor kids and go caroling around the neighborhood … just for the joy of singing together!

2014, Christmas at Grandma’s, Columbus, Oh.: Gooseberry Patch, →ISBN, page 80:

(intransitive) To sing carols; especially to sing Christmas carols in a group.

kòlãdowac

to sing carols; especially to sing Christmas carols in a group


chapter

→ Cebuano: tsapter

From Middle English chapitre, from Old French chapitre, from Latin capitulum (“a chapter of a book, in Medieval Latin also a synod or council”), diminutive of caput (“a head”); see capital, capitulum, and chapiter, which are doublets of chapter.

(Roman Catholicism) A prescribed reading at one of the canonical hours.


Thomas

en-proper noun

Thomas (countable and uncountable, plural Thomases)

→ Hawaiian: Kamaki

→ Maori: Tāmati

→ Scottish Gaelic: Tòmas

Thomas of Bayeux
Thomas the Presbyter
Thomas the Slav

Inherited from Middle English Thomas, from Latin Thōmās m (as in the Vulgate), from Ancient Greek Θωμᾶς m (Thōmâs), the Biblical Greek transcription of Aramaic תאומא or תאמא (“twin”), the nickname of one of the Twelve Apostles.
In the gospel of John (11:16, 20:24), the Aramaic nickname is also translated into Greek, as δίδυμος m (dídumos). Used as a given name since the Middle Ages, e.g. Thomas the Presbyter (7th century), Thomas the Slav (8th century), Thomas of Bayeux (died 1100).
(infidel or doubter): In reference to the doubting Apostle.

A number of places in the United States:

A number of townships in the United States, listed under Thomas Township.


deva

Transliteration of Sanskrit देव (deva, “deity, god”). Doublet of daeva.

translit

A god in Vedic mythology, Hinduism and Buddhism.


Tower of Babel

(biblical) A tower erected at Babel by the descendants of Noah's son Ham to reach the sky, and whose completion God thwarted by making the workers speak different languages so that they were unable to understand one another.


Joseph

en-proper noun

Joseph (countable and uncountable, plural Josephs)

→ Maori: Hohepa

From Middle English Ioseph, ultimately from Biblical Hebrew יוֹסֵף (Yoséf, literally “(God) shall add”); a son of Jacob.

der

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 37:3:

A few shocks of corn in a corner of the fallow stood up as if alive; she imagined them bowing; perhaps her son would be a Joseph.

1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, chapter 2, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC:

(biblical) Eleventh and favorite son of Jacob, by his wife Rachel.

(Christianity) Joseph of Arimathea; man who donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus.


Pluto

From Latin Plūtō, from Ancient Greek Πλούτων (Ploútōn, “god of the underworld”). Venetia Burney is often credited as having suggested the name for the celestial body.

bor

(Greek mythology, Roman mythology) Greco-Roman god of the underworld.


Uranus

Borrowed from Latin Ūranus, from Ancient Greek Οὐρανός (Ouranós), from οὐρανός (ouranós, “sky, heaven”).

(Greek mythology) The Greek god who personified the sky and heavens and fathered the Titans. Roman counterpart: Caelus.


Ecclesiastical Latin

The Latin language as spoken, written, and used in the Christian church and in church services.


in the flesh

(religion, especially Christianity) incarnate (of God or a deity: having assumed an earthly body)


atonement

en-noun

atonement (countable and uncountable, plural atonements)

Perhaps from atone + -ment as translation of Medieval Latin adūnāmentum; however, the noun is found earlier than the verb (atone); and in this light, the proper etymology is at + onement.

(theology, often with capitalized initial) The reconciliation of God and mankind through the death of Jesus.


prophet

From Middle English prophete, from Anglo-Norman prophete, from Latin prophēta, from Ancient Greek προφήτης (prophḗtēs, “one who speaks for a god”), from πρό (pró, “before”) + φημί (phēmí, “I tell”). Displaced native Old English wītga.

der

a prophet has no honor in his own country

a prophet is not without honor save in his own country

Muslims believe that Muhammad was the final prophet sent to mankind.

Someone who speaks by divine inspiration.


demigod

From demi- + god. Calque of the Latin semideus (“half-god”), which is probably a coining by the Roman poet Ovid for less important gods such as dryads.

(mythology) A half-god or hero; the offspring of a deity and a mortal.


glory

en-noun

glory (countable and uncountable, plural glories)

From Middle English glory, glorie, from Old French glorie (“glory”), from Latin glōria (“glory, fame, renown, praise, ambition, boasting”). Doublet of gloria. Displaced native Old English wuldor.

der

(theology) The manifestation of the presence of God as perceived by humans in Abrahamic religions.

ilmestys

theology: manifestation of the presence of God


Islamist

A Muslim who espouses Islamic fundamentalist beliefs.

իսլամիստ

person with Islamic fundamentalist beliefs

islamşünas

person who specializes in Islamic studies


Islamist

en-adj

Islamist (comparative more Islamist, superlative most Islamist)

more Islamist (comparative)
most Islamist (superlative)

(dated) Relating to Islam; Islamic, Muslim.


PRC

(Christianity) Initialism of Protestant Reformed Church.


numinous

numinous (comparative more numinous, superlative most numinous)

more numinous (comparative)
most numinous (superlative)

From Latin nūmen (“nod of the head; divine sway or will; divinity”) + -ous (suffix forming adjectives from nouns, denoting possession or presence of a quality). Nūmen is believed to derive either from Latin *nuō (“to nod”) or from Ancient Greek νοούμενον (nooúmenon, “influence perceptible by the mind but not the senses”) (ultimately from νόος (nóos, “mind; thought; purpose”)).

der

His interest in numinous objects led him on a quest for the Holy Grail.

The fetish of Huitzilopochtli, bundled up and screened from profane eyes, now preceded the wandering group, carried on the back of his oracle-priest or sorcerer who alone was holy enough to handle safely the numinous object.

1972, Burr Cartwright Brundage, “The Mexica Gain a King”, in A Rain of Darts: The Mexica Aztecs (Texas Pan American Series), Austin, Tx., London: University of Texas Press, →ISBN, page 23:

He held his own body in numinous esteem.

1976 September, Saul Bellow, Humboldt’s Gift, New York, N.Y.: Avon Books, →ISBN, page 40:

The use of blood to instill numen into a thing is illustrated by the establishment and annual renewal of Terminus, the boundary marker […] The transfer of numinous power to persons has its example in the drinking of blood by seers in order to get oracular vision.

1981, C. Bennett Pascal, “October Horse”, in D[avid] R[oy] Shackleton Bailey, editor, Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, volume 85, Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, →ISBN, page 278:

Of or relating to a numen (divinity); indicating the presence of a divinity.

свръхестествен

of or relating to a numen (divinity); indicating the presence of a divinity


padre

From Italian padre, Spanish padre, Portuguese padre (“priest”), from Latin pater (“father”). Doublet of ayr, faeder, father, pater, and père.

dbt

The Zuma and Manzo Indians of the area were in the habit of going to the missions in the Spanish provinces below the Rio Grande River to solicit the padres to come to teach and baptize them in their villages.

1979, James Wakefield Burke, A Forgotten Glory: the Missions of Old Texas, Waco, TX: Texian Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 62:


pax

From Middle English pax and Latin pax (“peace”). Doublet of peace. See peace. As school slang, originally used at Winchester College, Hampshire in the United Kingdom.

Fortune is Bardolphs foe, and frownes on him: for he hath ſtolne a Pax, and hanged muſt a be: […] Exeter hath giuen the doome of death, for Pax of little price.

1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene vi], page 80, column 2:

(Christianity) A painted, stamped or carved tablet with a representation of Christ or the Virgin Mary, which was kissed by the priest during the Mass ("kiss of peace") and then passed to other officiating clergy and the congregation to be kissed. See also osculatory.

(Christianity) A crucifix, a tablet with the image of Christ on the cross upon it, or a reliquary.


adoration

en-noun

adoration (countable and uncountable, plural adorations)

/ˌæ.dəˈɹeɪ.ʃən/

Borrowed from Middle French adoration, from Latin adōrātiō, adōrātiōnem (“worship, adoration”), from adōrō (“beseech; adore, worship”), from ad (“to, towards”) + ōrō (“beg”).
From adore + -ation.

uder

We incessantly look forward, and endeavour, by prayers, adoration, and sacrifice, to appease those unknown powers, whom we find, by experience, so able to afflict and oppress us.

a. 1779, David Hume, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion:

(countable, religion) An act of religious worship.

(Christianity) Worship of Christ in the Eucharistic host in the Catholic Church, often while exposed in a monstrance.


Martha

* From Latin Martha, from Ancient Greek Μάρθα (Mártha), from Aramaic מָרְתָא (mārtā, “mistress”), feminine of מרא (mārā). Doublet of Marfa.
* (humidity chamber): From the use of Martha Stewart-branded storage closets in the construction of early units.

They wanted to call her Helen, but I did put my foot down there. Knowing what her mother and father looked like! I tried hard for Martha or Dorcas or something sensible - but it was no good - waste of breath.

1947, Agatha Christie, The Labours of Hercules:

A female given name from Aramaic of biblical origin.


pontificate

en-verb

pontificate (third-person singular simple present pontificates, present participle pontificating, simple past and past participle pontificated)

pontificates (present singular third-person)
pontificating (participle present)
pontificated (participle past)
pontificated (past)

From the past participle stem of mediaeval Latin pontificare (“pontificate”), from Latin pontifex (“high priest”), from pons (“bridge”) + facere (“make”).

(intransitive) To act like a pontiff; to express one's position or opinions dogmatically and pompously as if they were absolutely correct.


amen

Inherited from Middle English amen, from Old English āmen, from Ecclesiastical Latin āmēn, from Ancient Greek ἀμήν (amḗn), from Biblical Hebrew אָמֵן (ʾāmēn, “certainly, verily”) (cognate with Arabic آمِينَ (ʔāmīna), Classical Syriac ܐܡܝܢ (ʾāmên)). In Old English, it was used only at the end of the Gospels. Elsewhere, it was translated as sōþlīċe! (“truly”, “indeed!”), swā hit is (“so it is”), and sīe! (“[so] be it!”).

der

Iesvs anſvvered, Amen, Amen I ſay to thee, Vnles a man be borne againe of vvater and the Spirit, he can not enter into the kingdom of God.

1582, English College of Rheims, transl., The New Testament of Jesus Christ, John 3:5, page 222:


affirmation

en-noun

affirmation (countable and uncountable, plural affirmations)

From Old French afermacion, from Latin affirmare (“to assert”). Doublet of affirmatio.

That which is affirmed; a declaration that something is true.

(law) A solemn pledge (to tell the truth, to bear allegiance, etc.), legally equivalent to an oath, taken by people who are forbidden to take a religious oath (such as Quakers) or otherwise prefer not to do so.

A form of self-forced meditation or repetition; autosuggestion.

إِيحَاء ذَاتِيّ

ʔīḥāʔ ḏātiyy


ward

ward (countable and uncountable, plural wards)

→ Swahili: wodi

From Middle English ward, warde, from Old English weard (“watching, ward, protection, guardianship; advance post; waiting for, lurking, ambuscade”), from Proto-West Germanic *wardu, from Proto-Germanic *wardō (“protection, attention, keeping”), an extension of the stem *wara- (“attentive”) (English wary, beware), from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to cover”).
Cognate with German Warte (“watchtower”), warten (“wait for”); English guard is a parallel form which came via Old French.

inh

A protected place, and by extension, a type of subdivision.

(Mormonism) A subdivision of the LDS Church, smaller than and part of a stake, but larger than a branch.


Muslimize

en-verb

Muslimize (third-person singular simple present Muslimizes, present participle Muslimizing, simple past and past participle Muslimized)

Muslimizes (present singular third-person)
Muslimizing (participle present)
Muslimized (participle past)
Muslimized (past)

These captives are all christians when caught, but are immediately Moslemised.

1845, Elliot Warburton, The Crescent and the Cross: Or, Romance and Realities of Eastern Travel, volume 1, page 310:

In 1878, two years after Gordon had been appointed governor-general of the whole Sudan, Emin Effendi (he had Moslemized himself) was appointed governor of the Equatorial Province, which he found completely disorganized and demoralized, the happy hunting-ground of the slave raider.

1890, J. Scott Keltie, “What Stanley Has Done for the Map of Africa”, in Science, volume 15, number 364, page 51:

As for the Muslimized Malays, they live mainly in the sourthernmost changwads (provinces) that border on Malaysia, although there are small communities of them in and near Bangkok.

1964, Hugh H. Smythe, “Thailand Minority Groups”, in Phylon, volume 25, number 3, page 282:

(transitive) To make Muslim; to increase the Muslim character of.


Agnus Dei

en-noun

Agnus Dei (plural Agnus Deis or Agnus Dei)

Borrowed from Latin Agnus Deī (“Lamb of God”).

(Western Christianity) A liturgical chant recited as part of the Mass, beginning with those words, or the music to which it is set.

agnus-dei

part of the Mass; music to which it is set

(Roman Catholicism, heraldry) A small model, picture, or heraldic representation of a lamb with a cross and sometimes a flag (usually white with a red cross).

Matilda continued her incantations; at intervals she took various items from the basket, the nature and name of most of which were unknown to the friar: but among the few which he distinguished, he particularly observed three human fingers, and an agnus dei, which she broke in pieces.

1796, Matthew Lewis, The Monk, Folio Society, published 1985, page 194:

The most common of these amulets was the agnus dei, a small wax cake, originally made out of paschal candles and blessed by the Pope, bearing the image of the lamb and flag.

1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society, published 2012, page 28:

(Roman Catholicism) A bar of wax imprinted with a similar shape and blessed by the Pope.


kike

Thought to be from Yiddish קײַקל (kaykl, “circle”). In the early 20th century, non-English-speaking Jews that immigrated to the United States would sign papers with a circle as opposed to a more common X. The latter symbol was associated by these Jews with the Christian cross, a symbol that represented to them millennia of persecution. This is the dominant etymological theory, but there are others, in particular a contraction from the documented phrase ‘Ikey-Kikey’, an American-origin reduplication of Ikey, British-English pejorative for Jews after the prevalence of the name Isaac.

"Now you quit kidding me! What's the nice little name?" "Oh, it ain't so darn nice. I guess it's kind of kike. But my folks ain't kikes. My papa's papa was a nobleman in Poland, and there was a gentleman in here one day, he was kind of a count or something--"

(US, offensive, ethnic slur, religious slur) A Jew.


Islamic

en-adj

Islamic (comparative more Islamic, superlative most Islamic)

more Islamic (comparative)
most Islamic (superlative)

Of, pertaining to, originating in, characteristic of, or deriving from Muslims or Islam.


grace

en-noun

grace (countable and uncountable, plural graces)

From Middle English grace, from Old French grace (modern French grâce), from Latin grātia (“kindness, favour, esteem”), from grātus (“pleasing”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷerH- (“to praise, welcome”); compare grateful.
The word displaced the native Middle English held, hield (“grace”) (from Old English held, hyld (“grace”)), Middle English este (“grace, favour, pleasure”) (from Old English ēst (“grace, kindness, favour”)), Middle English athmede(n) (“grace”) (from Old English ēadmēdu (“grace”)), Middle English are, ore (“grace, mercy, honour”) (from Old English ār (“honour, grace, kindness, mercy”)).

cog

When she sang in the kirk, folk have told me that they had a foretaste of the musick of the New Jerusalem, and when she came in by the village of Caulds old men stottered to their doors to look at her. Moreover, from her earliest days the bairn had some glimmerings of grace.

1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:

(uncountable, theology) Free and undeserved favour, especially of God; unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification, or for resisting sin.

ողորմածություն

free and undeserved favour, especially of God


muezzin

From Turkish müezzin or Ottoman Turkish مؤذن (müezzin), from Arabic مُؤَذِّن (muʔaḏḏin, “one who calls (to prayer), crier”).

der

approaching the mosque, at the call of the muezzin (III, xvi)

1820, Charles Maturin, Melmoth the Wanderer:

I was awoken by the voice of a distant muezzin calling the faithful to prayer.

2015, Chigozie Obioma, The Fishermen, ONE, page 266:

(Islam) The person who issues the call to prayer from one of the minarets of a mosque.


conclave

Borrowed from French conclave, from Latin conclāve (“room that may be locked up”), from con- (combining form of cum (“with”)) + clāvis (“key”).

[W]e find it once said of an eminent Cardinal, by reaſon of his great and apparent Likelihood to ſtep into St. Peter’s Chair, that in tvvo Conclaves he vvent in Pope, and came out again Cardinal.

1685 March 4 (Gregorian calendar); first published 1692, Robert South, “A Sermon Preached at Westminster-Abbey, February 22, 1684–5”, in Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions. […], volume I, London: […] J[ohn] H[eptinstall] for Thomas Bennet, […], →OCLC, page 327:

His exit came as at least a dozen other cardinals tarnished with accusations that they had failed to remove priests accused of sexually abusing minors were among those gathering in Rome to prepare for the conclave to select a successor to Pope Benedict XVI.

2013 February 27, Laurie Goodstein, “Now Gathering in Rome, a Conclave of Fallible Cardinals”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church

(Roman Catholicism) A closed meeting in which the elector cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church choose a new pope.

Two hours before nightfall, the whole body met again in a chapel within the conclave […]

1884, John Sherren Brewer, edited by James Gairdner, The Reign of Henry VIII from His Accession to the Death of Wolsey […] , volume 1, page 442:

(Roman Catholicism) The set of apartments in which the elector cardinals are secluded while a conclave takes place.

konklavo

set of apartments within which the cardinals are secluded

(Roman Catholicism) The group of cardinals involved in a conclave.


Godhead

From Middle English Godhede, equivalent to God + -head (“-hood”). Doublet of godhead.

House and tenant go to ground, / Lost in God, in Godhead found.

1847, R[alph] W[aldo] Emerson, “Threnody”, in Poems, Boston, Mass.: James Munroe and Company, →OCLC, page 249:

The divine nature of God as an abstract entity.


magus

From Latin magus, from Ancient Greek μάγος (mágos, “magician”), from Μάγος (Mágos, “Magian”), of an indeterminate Old Iranian origin (see Μάγος for details). Doublet of mage.

Court astrologers, who were drawn from the race of the Magi, were among those that formed the royal court [...]

1922, Maneckji Nusserwanji Dhalla, Zoroastrian Civilization, page 230:

Mocenigo / [satisfied at last] / Good! Now, tell me, Prior, / What is Rome’s greatest fear? What gives the Pope / More night-mares than bad sausage? / Prior Gabrielli / Heresy! / The rendering of the seamless robe of truth. / This rabble of mountebanks and maguses / Who shout reform, defile the Eucharist, / Flout all authority, elect false bishops, / Deny the Trinity and saving grace, / Abolish marriage, set their private minds / Against the long tradition of the Faith / And Peter’s dictates and the Holy Writ . . .

1969, Morris L[anglo] West, The Heretic: A Play in Three Acts […], New York, N.Y.: William Morrow and Company, Inc., →LCCN, pages 11–12:


Paul

From Latin Paulus, from paulus (“small”). Doublet of Pablo and Paolo.

An unincorporated community in Conecuh County, Alabama, United States, named after Paul the Apostle.


enzyme

en-noun

enzyme (countable and uncountable, plural enzymes)

From German Enzym, coined 1878 by the German physiologist Wilhelm Kühne from Ancient Greek ἐν (en, “in”) + ζύμη (zúmē, “sourdough”).

affix

(Christianity) Leavened bread, as opposed to azyme.


Trinitarian

From French trinitaire (from Medieval Latin trinitarius, from Latin trinitas + -arius) + -ian.

Someone who believes in the Trinity, the three persons of the Godhead.


Trinitarian

trinitari

of or pertaining to the doctrine of the Trinity

It was no less than whether the psychic movement in Britain was destined to take a Unitarian or a Trinitarian course.

1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:

The influence of trinitarian iconography is evident to varying degrees. Teresa and Elizabeth, for example, make reference to particular visual images of the Trinity.

2010, Anne Hunt, The Trinity: Insights from the Mystics, →ISBN:

Of or pertaining to the Trinity (the three persons of the Godhead) or to the doctrine of Trinity.

In polytheism we find also a tendency to a trinitarian grouping of gods, and in each threefold group one god who was at least primus inter pares.

1916, The North American Review, page 400:

See PL 210.54C and James J. Sheridan's stimulating observations on the Trinitarian grouping of Nature, Genius, and Truth (in his note on p. 218).

1985, Jan M. Ziolkowski, Alan of Lille's Grammar of Sex: The Meaning of Grammar to a Twelfth-century Intellectual, Medieval Academy of Amer, page 44:

It is in Hastings' Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics: […]

a. 1977, Maulana Abdul Haq Vidyarthi, Allah, The Unique Name of God, A.A.I.I.L. (U.K.), page 47

In Indian religion, e.g., we meet with the trinitarian group of Brahmā, Śiva, and Viṣṇu, and in Egyptian religion with the trinitarian group of Osiris, Isis, and Horus,

[…] The ancient Egyptians believed in the Trinitarian group of Osiris, Isis and Horus while the Hindus had Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, and the later Christians described God as God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

2010, Ebrahim Kazim, Scientific Commentary of Suratul Faateḥah, Pharos Media & Publishing, →ISBN:

[…] singularity is transformed into the trinitarian triad of abstract unity (universality), differentiation (particularity and finite singularity), and return (infinite singularity),

2013, Hyo-Dong Lee, Spirit, Qi, and the Multitude: A Comparative Theology for the Democracy of Creation, Fordham Univ Press, →ISBN:

(uncommon) Of or pertaining to a trinity, a group of three (almost exclusively when compared to the Christian Trinity).


repent

en-verb

repent (third-person singular simple present repents, present participle repenting, simple past and past participle repented)

repents (present singular third-person)
repenting (participle present)
repented (participle past)
repented (past)

From Middle English repenten, from Old French repentir, from Vulgar Latin *repaenitīre, from Late Latin paenitīre, from Classical Latin paenitēre. Compare Modern French repentir.

... Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Mark 1:14–15:

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 2:38–40:

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 13:3:

Mad Prophet: Repent! Repent and restore your souls to glory before it is too late! This great station has fallen, and all within shall fall with it!

2012, BioWare, Mass Effect 3: Omega (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, PC, scene: Gozu District:

The Court shall, after sentencing an offender for any offence under section 221, 222, 223 or 224 and before execution of the punishment, order the offender to repent.

2013, Hassanal Bolkiah, “Syariah Penal Code Order, 2013”, in Brunei Darussalem Government Gazette, page 1759:

(theology, intransitive) To be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness; to cease to practice sin and to love.

تَابَ

theology: to be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness


trinity

From trine + -ity, from Middle English trinite, from Anglo-Norman trinite and Old French ternite (modern French trinité), from Latin trīnitās, from trīni (“three each”), from trēs (“three”). Displaced native Old English þrines (literally “threeness”).

ncog

The state of being three; independence of three things; things divided into three.


chant

From Middle English chaunten, from Old French chanter, from Latin cantāre (“sing”). Doublet of cant.

(music) A short and simple melody to which unmetrical psalms, etc., are sung or recited.

(music, Anglicanism) A harmonized melody used in Anglican chant, usually split into two two-bar phrases, to which the words of a psalm are sung by a choir; typically, each musical phrase corresponds to the text of half of a verse.


friary

en-adj

friary (comparative more friary, superlative most friary)

more friary (comparative)
most friary (superlative)

From friar (“brother”) in a religious order, from Latin frater (“brother”), from Latin.

Saint Francis with his Friery kowle in a corne-field.

1605, M. N. [pseudonym; William Camden], Remaines of a Greater Worke, Concerning Britaine, […], London: […] G[eorge] E[ld] for Simon Waterson, →OCLC:

Like a friar; relating to friars or to a convent.

mönchisch

like a friar; relating to friars or to a convent


senior

From Middle English senior, from Latin senior (“older”), comparative form of senex (“old”); see senate. Doublet of seigneur, seignior, senhor, señor, senyor, signore, sir, and sire.

doublet

Then Peter full of the holy gooſt ſayd vnto them. Ye ruelars of the people / and ſeniours of iſrahel[…].

1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Acts :[8], folio clviij, recto:

(obsolete, biblical) An elder or presbyter in the early Church.


hermitage

/ˈhɜːmɪtɪd͡ʒ/

/ˈhɝmɪtɪd͡ʒ/

From Middle English hermytage, ermitage, from Old French ermitage, hermitaige, from Medieval Latin hermitagium. By surface analysis, hermit + -age.

I saw the huge rocking-stone, that had been violently depressed by him as he sprang, fly back when relieved of his weight till, for the first time during all these centuries, it got beyond its balance, fell with a most awful crash right into the rocky chamber which had once served the philosopher Noot for a hermitage, and, I have no doubt, for ever sealed the passage that leads to the Place of Life with some hundreds of tons of rock.

1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:

A house or dwelling where a hermit lives.

Temptation is an obsequious servant that has no objection to the country, and we know that it takes up its lodging in hermitages as well as in cities; and that in the most remote and inaccessible desert it keeps company with the fugitive solitary.

1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 28, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:


friar

PIE word
 *bʰréh₂tēr
From Middle English frere, from Old French frere, from Latin frāter (“brother”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰréh₂tēr (“brother”). Doublet of bhai, brother, frater, and pal.

A member of a mendicant Christian order such as the Augustinians, Carmelites (white friars), Franciscans (grey friars) or the Dominicans (black friars).


bishopric

From Middle English bischopriche, from Old English bisċoprīċe, equivalent to bishop + -ric (compare German Reich).

Later that year, he was appointed to the bishopric of Lindesmeere.

Iohn Fiſher Biſhop of Rocheſter, when the King [Henry VII of England] would have tranſlated him from that poore Biſhopricke to a better, he refuſed, saying: He would not forſake his poore little olde wife, with whom he had ſo long lived.

1605, M. N. [pseudonym; William Camden], “Grave Speeches, and Wittie Apothegms of Woorthie Personages of This Realme in Former Times”, in Remaines of a Greater Worke, Concerning Britaine, […], London: […] G[eorge] E[ld] for Simon Waterson, →OCLC, page 220:

Wiltshire actually comes from Wiltonshire, for Wilton was once a county town, royal residence and bishopric - a place of significance.

2023 June 28, Stephen Roberts, “Bradshaw's Britain: Alton to Exeter”, in RAIL, number 986, page 59:

A diocese or region of a church which a bishop governs.


aarti

en-noun

aarti (countable and uncountable, plural aartis)

Borrowed from Hindi आरती (ārtī), from Sanskrit आरात्रिक (ārātrika).

The kings of Mewar always visited the Brindabani Temple, did arati, touched the Blue One's feet, ate prasad, and distributed largesse amongst the subjects of Chittor on Janmashtami.

1997, Kiran Nagarkar, Cuckold, HarperCollins, published 2013, page 165:

(Hinduism) A particular Hindu prayer ritual, involving candles made from clarified butter.


Keb

(Egyptian mythology) Alternative form of Geb


Abilene

(biblical) A region of Syria south and southeast of Damascus.


creature

From Middle English creature in the original sense of “a created thing”, borrowed via Old French creature, criature, from Latin creātūra, from creō. Displaced native Old English ġesċeaft. Doublet of craythur and critter.

Thoughts, my mindes creatures, often are with thee, / But I, their maker, want their libertie.

the natural truth of God is an artificial erection of Man, and the Creator himself but a subtile invention of the Creature.

1646, Thomas Browne, chapter I, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], London: […] T[homas] H[arper] for Edward Dod, […], →OCLC, 1st book, page 10:

Must not then all understanding Creatures center in their Creator, as in the highest and best of Beings? And must not this Creator then be eſſentially God? What Infatuation then is it, that leads Men to think of a Creature-Creator?

1718, John CLAGGETT, Arianism Anatomized: or, Animadversions on Mr. Thomas Chubb's book, intitled, The Supremacy of the Father asserted, etc, page 35:

For the creature tends to close union with the Creator, and union alone is the perfection of all true worship.

1857, Frederick William Faber, The Creator and the Creature: Or the Wonders of Divine Love, page 92:

We are creatures of a good, beneficent and loving Creator. We are made by this good God for Himself.

1878, Mary (the virgin.), Spiritual exercises of Mary, revised by the bp. of Nottingham [E.G. Bagshawe]., page 194:

They only mean that we are creatures and not God. Unlike the Creator, we creatures do not live forever. Real evil enters the picture when we refuse to accept the finitude of human life […]

1994 January 1, Shirley C. Guthrie, Christian Doctrine, Westminster John Knox Press, →ISBN, page 169:

Several aspects of the creature-Creator relation can be drawn from Rom 1:18–32 and other Pauline texts. First, the relation between man-as-creature and God-the-Creator is more than a “static/positional” reality.

2020 August 28, Samuel D. Ferguson, The Spirit and Relational Anthropology in Paul, Mohr Siebeck, →ISBN, page 98:

(now uncommon, religion) A created thing, whether animate or inanimate; a creation.


Abner

From Hebrew אבנר (Abner, “father of light”). From אָב (av, “father”) + נור (nur, “light”).

And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Samuel 17:55:

(biblical) A cousin of Saul mentioned in the Old Testament.


theodicy

Borrowed from French théodicée, from Ancient Greek θεός (theós, “god”) + δίκη (díkē, “justice”), coined by German mathematician and philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz in his 1710 work Essais de Théodicée sur la bonté de Dieu, la liberté de l’homme et l’origine du mal (Essays of Theodicy on the Goodness of God, the Freedom of Man and the Origin of Evil), commonly known as Théodicée.

lang

Essais de Théodicée sur la bonté de Dieu, la liberté de l'homme et l'origine du mal

2000 [Kluwer Academic], Charles Seymour, A Theodicy of Hell, 2010, Springer, Softcover reprint, page 195,
In general, my theodicy of hell is more congenial to those denominations with less rigidly defined doctrinal systems.
Does this mean I have allowed theodicy to encroach on theology, contrary to my avowed purpose?

Distilling the characteristic features of the theodicies of the world religions, Weber identified five varieties or forms that the answers to this problem take, which in his view speaks to the varieties of forms that religion itself takes: a messiah who initiates the end of the world as we know it, the transmigration of souls, a universal day of judgment, predestination, or dual divinities of good and evil.

2002, Kevin J. Christiano, William H. Swatos, Peter Kivisto, Sociology of Religion: Contemporary Developments, Rowman & Littlefield (Altamira Press), page 129:

God was now nothing more than a distant cause of causes; what mattered was matter, and man acting in nature. The theodicy, the master-narrative, had become secularized.

2003, Roy Porter, Flesh in the Age of Reason, Penguin 2004, page 388:

(theology, philosophy) A justification of a deity or of particular attributes of a deity; specifically, a justification of the existence of evil and suffering in the world; a work or discourse justifying the ways of God.


seeker

From Middle English sekar, sekere (also sechar, sechere), equivalent to seek + -er. Compare Saterland Frisian Säiker (“seeker”), West Frisian syker (“seeker”), Dutch zoeker (“seeker”), German Low German Söker (“seeker”), German Sucher (“seeker”).

But these seekers, too, are saved - by virtue of the inherited symbolic aids of society, the rites of passage, the grace-yielding sacraments, given to mankind of old by the redeemers and handed down through millenniums.

1968, Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, 2nd edition, London: Fontana Press, published 1993, page 23:

Especially, a religious seeker: a pilgrim, or one who aspires to enlightenment or salvation.


theomachy

en-noun

theomachy (countable and uncountable, plural theomachies)

From Ancient Greek θεομαχία (theomakhía, “battle of the gods”), from θεός (theós, “god”) + μάχη (mákhē, “battle”). Equivalent to theo- + -machy.


Abbasid

From Medieval Latin Abbasidae, from Abbas + -idae. Compare Seleucid etc. Equivalent to Abbas + -id.

The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles

Oxford University Press
w:Oxford University Press

(historical) A member of the dynasty of caliphs that ruled from Baghdad, from about 750 to 1250, claiming ancestry of Abbas.

عَبَّاسِيّ

member of the dynasty that ruled from Baghdad from about to 750 to 1250


saint

Francis of Assisi
saint
saint (disambiguation)

From Middle English saint, seint, sainct, seinct, sanct, senct, partly from Old English sanct (“saint”) and confluence with Old French saint, seinte (Modern French saint); both from Latin sānctus (“holy, consecrated”, in Late Latin as a noun, “a saint”), past participle of sancīre (“to render sacred, make holy”), akin to sacer (“holy, sacred”). Doublet of Sanctus. Displaced native Middle English halwe (“saint”) from Old English hālga (“saint, holy one”) (> Modern English hallow (“saint”)).

martyr

person revered for sacrificing their life for a cause, sometimes inclusive of secular reverence by nations or political parties

santa

female Christian saint in Spanish contexts, usu. as a title

sainte

female Christian saint in French contexts, usu. as a title

the lists of derived terms at Saint and St

The Roman Catholic Church proclaimed Kateri Tekakwitha a saint in 2012.

(religion, generally) A deceased person whom a church or another religious group has officially recognised as especially holy or godly; one eminent for piety and virtue.

Then ſhall thy Saints unmixt, and from th' impure / Farr ſeparate, circling thy holy Mount / Unfained Halleluiahs to thee ſing,

1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 742–744:

(Christianity) One of the blessed in heaven.

Unto the Church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus, called to be Saints, with all that in euery place call vpon the Name of Iesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Corinthians 1:2:

(Christianity) A Christian; a faithful believer in the present world.

(Mormonism, specifically) Alternative letter-case form of Saint (“a Mormon, a Latter-day Saint”)


profession

From Middle English professioun, from Anglo-Norman professioun, Old French profession (“declaration of faith, religious vows, occupation”), from Latin professiō (“avowal, public declaration”), from the participle stem of profitērī (“to profess”).

She died only a few years after her profession.

Rosario was a young novice belonging to the monastery, who in three months intended to make his profession.

1796, Matthew Lewis, The Monk, Folio Society, published 1985, page 27:

(religion) A promise or vow made on entering a religious order.


ellen

From Middle English elne, ellen, from Old English ellen (“zeal, strength, power, vigor, valor, courage, fortitude, strife, contention”), from Proto-West Germanic *alljan, from Proto-Germanic *aljaną (“zeal, power, courage”). Cognate with Middle High German ellen (“strength, manhood”), Middle Low German ellen (“strength, power, courage, vigor, bravery”), Icelandic elja (“endurance, energy”).

cog

(theology) Strength vouchsafed; comfort; grace.


fold

The noun is from Middle English fold, fald, from Old English fald, falæd, falod (“fold, stall, stable, cattle-pen”), from Proto-Germanic *faludaz (“enclosure”). Akin to Scots fald, fauld (“an enclosure for livestock”), Dutch vaalt (“dung heap”), Middle Low German valt, vālt (“an inclosed space, a yard”), Danish fold (“pen for herbivorous livestock”), Swedish fålla (“corral, pen, pound”).
The verb is from Late Middle English fooldyn, itself derived from the noun.

And other sheepe I haue, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall heare my voyce; and there shall be one fold, and one shepheard.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 10:16:

(Christianity) A church congregation, a group of people who adhere to a common faith and habitually attend a given church; also, the Christian church as a whole, the flock of Christ.


Beelzebub

First attested as Old English Belzebub, from Latin Beelzebūb, the Vulgate's form of Ancient Greek Βεελζεβούλ (Beelzeboúl), from Hebrew בעל זבוב (ba‘al-z'vúv, “fly-lord”), mentioned in 2 Kings chapter 1 as “the god of Ekron”.

der

But when the Phariſees heard it, they ſaid, This fellow doeth not caſt out deuils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the deuils.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 12:24, column 1:

(biblical) A Canaanite deity worshipped at Ekron.

Mamma mia, let me go / Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me!

1975, Freddie Mercury (lyrics and music), “Bohemian Rhapsody”, in A Night at the Opera, performed by Queen:

𐔱𐔴𐔾𐔵𐔴𐔱𐕒𐕡𐔾

a Semitic deity, another name for the Devil


Michaelmas

From Middle English Michelmasse, Myghelmesse; equivalent to Michael + -mas.

To make Capons […] [S]ome for this Purpoſe make it their Buſineſs after Harveſt-time to go to Markets for buying up Chickens, and between Michaelmas and All-hollantide caponize the Cocks, when they have got large enough to have Stones [i.e., testes] of ſuch a Bigneſs that they may be pulled out; for if they are too little, it can't be done; […]

1750, W[illiam] Ellis, The Country Housewife's Family Companion: Or Profitable Directions for Whatever Relates to the Management and Good Œconomy of the Domestick Concerns of a Country Life, According to the Present Practice of the Country Gentleman's, the Yeoman's, the Farmer's, &c. Wives, in the Counties of Hertford, Bucks, and Other Parts of England: Shewing how Great Savings may be Made in Housekeeping: … With Variety of Curious Matters … The Whole Founded on Near Thirty Years Experience, London: Printed for James Hodges, at the Looking-glass, facing St. Magnus Church, London-Bridge; and B. Collins, bookseller, at Salisbury, →OCLC, page 157:

A Christian feast celebrated on the 29th of September in honour of the archangel Michael.


justification

en-noun

justification (countable and uncountable, plural justifications)

/ˌd͡ʒʌstɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

From Middle English justificacioun, justification, from Middle French justification, from Late Latin iustificationem, justificationem < iustificatio, from iustifico, from Latin iustus.

der

[…] to articulate a common understanding of our justification by God’s grace through faith in Christ.

1999, Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, (Please provide the book title or journal name):

(Christianity, uncountable) The forgiveness of sin.


credence

en-noun

credence (countable and uncountable, plural credences)

From Middle English credence, from Old French credence, from Medieval Latin crēdentia (“belief, faith”), from Latin crēdēns, present active participle of crēdō (“loan, confide in, trust, believe”). Compare French croyance, French créance, Italian credenza, Portuguese crença, Romanian credință, Spanish creencia. Doublet of credenza.

der

(religion, countable) A small table or credenza used in certain Christian religious services.


confirmation

en-noun

confirmation (countable and uncountable, plural confirmations)

[ˌkʰɑɱ.fɚˈmeɪ.ʃn̩]

[ˌkʰɒɱ.fəˈmeɪ.ʃn̩]

From Middle English confirmacioun, from Old French confirmacion, from Latin cōnfirmātiō, noun of process from cōnfirmātus (“confirmed”), perfect passive participle of cōnfirmāre, from con- (“with”) + firmāre (“to firm or strengthen”).
Morphologically confirm + -ation.

The announcement in the newspaper was a confirmation of my suspicions.

They declare ringing confirmation for their theories even in the face of feeble data.

1999 March 20, Natalie Angiers, The Guardian:

The thing is, we've even had formal confirmation from Government itself that the crucial research required to make such sweeping claims hasn't been done!

2022 January 12, Nigel Harris, “Comment: Unhappy start to 2022”, in RAIL, number 948, page 3:

A verification that something is true or has happened.

You got a nice white dress / and a party on your confirmation. / You've got a brand new soul, / mm, and a cross of gold.

1977, “Only the Good Die Young”, in Billy Joel (music), The Stranger:

A ceremony of sealing and conscious acknowledgement of the faith in many Christian churches, typically around the ages of 14 to 18; considered a sacrament in some churches, including Catholicism, but not in most Protestant churches.

(law) An act whereby something conditional or voidable is made sure and unavoidable, especially the possession of an estate.


pundit

Borrowed from Hindi पंडित (paṇḍit) / Urdu پنڈت (panḍit), from Sanskrit पण्डित (paṇḍita, “scholar, learned man, teacher, philosopher”). Doublet of pandit.

bor

Pundits in black gowns, with spectacles on their noses and undigested wisdom in their insides; bearded headmen of the wards; [...] all these people and more also you might find in the white room.

1888, Rudyard Kipling, ‘On the City Wall’, In Black and White, Folio Society, published 2005, page 430:

A learned person in India; someone with knowledge of Sanskrit, philosophy, religion and law; a Hindu scholar.


office

Tok Pisin: opis

→ Belarusian: о́фіс (ófis)

→ Bulgarian: о́фис (ófis)

→ Cebuano: opis

→ Chichewa: ofesi

→ Central Dusun: upis

→ Hindi: ऑफ़िस (ŏfis)

→ Iban: opis

→ Japanese: オフィス

→ Marshallese: wōpij

→ Malay: opis

→ Russian: о́фис (ófis)

→ Scottish Gaelic: oifis

→ Swahili: afisi

→ Tausug: upis

→ Ukrainian: о́фіс (ófis)

Microsoft Office
office (disambiguation)

From Middle English office, from Old French office, from Latin officium (“personal, official, or moral duty; official position; function; ceremony, esp. last rites”), contracted from opificium (“construction: the act of building or the thing built”), from opifex (“doer of work, craftsman”) + -ium (“-y”, forming actions), from op- (“work”) + -i- (connective) + -fex (combining form of faciō (“to do, to make”)).
The use in reference to office software is a genericization of various proprietary program suites, such as Microsoft Office.

zyrë

room(s) or building used for non-manual work

(religion) A ceremonial duty or service, particularly:

(Christianity) The authorized form of ceremonial worship of a church.

(Christianity) Any special liturgy, as the Office for the Dead or of the Virgin.

(Christianity) A daily service without the eucharist.

A ceremonial duty or service
A daily service without the eucharist.

In the Latin rite, all bishops, priests, and transitional deacons are obliged to recite the Divine Office daily.

His spirituall exercises were chiefly Prayer, the H. Sacrifice of Masse, his Canonicall Houres or diuine Office.

1674, Richard Strange, The Life and Gests of S. Thomas Cantilupe, Bishop of Hereford, page 287:

(Catholicism) The daily service of the breviary, the liturgy for each canonical hour, including psalms, collects, and lessons.

(Protestantism) Various prayers used with modification as a morning or evening service.

The deuout offices of balming and anointing the dead bodies[…]

1582, The Nevv Testament of Iesus Christ: […] (Douay–Rheims Bible), Rheims: Iohn Fogny, →OCLC, Iohn 12, marginalia, page 254:

To show their loue in this last office done
To a dead friend.

1618, S. Rowlands, Sacred Memorie, section 37:

I[…]will be first to render thee the decent offices due to the dead.

1822 May 29, [Walter Scott], chapter XI, in The Fortunes of Nigel. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 318:

A ceremonial duty or service
Last rites.

The office, or Introite, (as they call it).

1549, “Svpper of the Lorde”, in The Book of Common Prayer, page 121:

(Christianity, obsolete) Mass, (particularly) the introit sung at its beginning.

Golde (gaue he him)[…]for all maner of veſſels of euery offyce[…]

1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, I. Cronicles xxix, folio xc, verso, column 2:

A Biscayner is capable to be a Cavalier of any of the three habits without any scrutiny to be made of the Office, whether he be, limpio de la sangre de los Moros, that is cleare of the bloud of the Moores or no.

1642, J. Howell, chapter X, in Forraine Travell, page 131:

They abiured their Heresy bublikly [sic] before the Commissary of the holy office.

(figuratively, in large organizations) The administrative departments housed in such places, particularly:

(Catholicism, usually capitalized) Short for Holy Office: the court of final appeal in cases of heresy.


nirvana

en-noun

nirvana (countable and uncountable, plural nirvanas)

/nɪɾˈʋɑːn(ə)/

Borrowed from Sanskrit निर्वाण (nirvāṇa, “blown or put out, extinguished”), from निस् (nis, “out”) + वा (vā, “to blow”), the second part cognate with Russian ве́тер (véter, “wind”), weather, vent and wind.

bor+

(Buddhism) Complete cessation of suffering; a blissful state attained through realization of sunyata; enlightened experience.


Babylon

Partially inherited from Old English Babilōn/Babȳlōn, partially from Latin Babylōn, from Ancient Greek Βαβυλών (Babulṓn), from Akkadian 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 (Bābilim, literally “Gate of God”); the name of the ancient Chaldean capital and Biblical city of the Apocalypse. Doublet of Babel.

der

(Rastafari) Western civilization, seen as corrupt and materialistic, and contrasted with Zion.


lingam

Learned borrowing from Sanskrit लिङ्गम् (liṅgam, nominative singular of लिङ्ग (liṅga, “sign, mark”)).

lbor

nominative singular of <i class="Deva mention" lang="sa">लिङ्ग</i> (liṅga, “sign, mark”)

Then we have the very numerous lingams (conventional representations of the male organ) to be seen, scores and scores of them, in the arcades and cloisters of the Hindu Temples - to which women of all classes, especially those who wish to become mothers, resort, anointing them copiously with oil, and signalizing their respect and devotion to them in a very practical way.

1920, Edward Carpenter, Pagan and Christian Creeds, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., published 1921, page 182:

(Shaivism) The aniconic phallic representation traditionally worshipped as a symbol of or in connection with Shiva.


gentile

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-gentile.wav

Borrowed from French gentil (“gentile”), from Latin gentīlis (“of or belonging to the same people or nation”), morphologically from gēns (“clan; tribe; people, family”) + adjective suffix -īlis (“-ile”). Doublet of gentle, genteel, and jaunty. See also gens, gender, genus, and generation.

der

This ſhall bring down the Judgment upon Rome, preſently after the Appearance of Antichriſt: and as upon Rome, ſo alſo upon all the Gentile Chriſtians, who have a Name to live but are dead, being fallen away from their Firſt Love and Faith, and ſo having made themſelves Veſſels fit for Deſtruction, when this ſore Judgment ſhall go forth.

1711, [John Hildrop], “The Preface”, in A Treatise of the Three Evils of the Last Times: […], London: Printed by M. J. for R[obert] Knaplock […], R. and J. Bonwicke […], and H. Clements […], →OCLC, pages lxxiv–lxxv:

If we read the Epistles of St. Paul, we shall soon discover what efforts the Jewish converts made to bring the Gentile converts into the observance of every Jewish custom compatible with christianity:^([sic]) and as we do not discover in those Epistles any traces of a dispute on this head between the Jewish and Gentile converts, we may fairly conclude that the Gentile converts adopted without hesitation the time-honoured manner of praising the true God made use of by the Jewish converts, instead of the Pagan mode of singing, which was then associated in their minds with every thing unclean and abominable.

1847, William Kelly, “Introduction”, in A Grammar of Gregorian, or Plain Chant Music, London: Thomas Richardson and Son, […], →OCLC, pages 11–12:

Down in the workshop all the elves were makin' toys
For the good gentile girls and the good gentile boys

1996, "Weird Al" Yankovic (lyrics and music), “The Night Santa Went Crazy”, in Bad Hair Day:

There is further evidence of the fact that both Romans and the Herodians distinguished Jewish from Gentile areas and treated them differently. Herod did not produce pagan coins, bearing an image of Augustus or himself, but rather good Jewish coins. It is noteworthy that he built numerous pagan buildings, including temples honouring Augustus and an amphitheater for Greek games, and he donated gymnasia to territories that he did not govern: […] But (and this is a very big "but") he put none of these Gentile/pagan buildings in the Jewish parts of his domain.

2001, E[d] P[arish] Sanders, “Jesus in Galilee”, in Doris Donnelly, editor, Jesus: A Colloquium in the Holy Land, New York, N.Y., London: Continuum International Publishing Group, →ISBN, page 14:


gentile

Yea farther, ſo glorious, and raviſhing were the firſt dawnings of Goſpel light, which brought ſuch glad tidings of Salvation to Mankind, as that not only the Jews, but alſo ſome ſober minded, inquiſitive Gentiles rejoyced in this Light for a ſeaſon […] who yet never had a through work of Converſion on their hearts: […]

1671, Theophilus Gale, “Of the Academicks, and New Platonicks of Alexandria”, in The Court of the Gentiles: or, A Discourse Touching the Original of Human Literature, both Philologie, and Philosophie, from the Scriptures, and Jewish Church: […], part II (Of Philosophie), Oxford: Printed by Will[iam] Hall, for Tho[mas] Gilbert, →OCLC, book III, page 253:

If a Jew cheated a Gentile one sixth in the purchase or in the sale of any commodity, the Gentile was without remedy; not so if a Gentile imposed on a Jew to the same amount. Theft likewise by a Gentile from a Jew was death, not so if the parties were changed: and the same odious injustice they manifested in their law on homicide. […] it is rather extraordinary, that Plato should say, the penalty for the death of a native and of a foreigner should be different.

1810, George Ensor, “What Should Disqualify Persons from Being Electors or Representatives”, in On National Government, … In Two Volumes, volume II, London: Printed for J[oseph] Johnson, […]; for the benefit of the Literary Fund, →OCLC, pages 32–33:


Hannah

en-proper noun

Hannah (countable and uncountable, plural Hannahs)

From previous romanizations of Hebrew חַנָּה (Ḥanâ), chiefly for the mother of Samuel, from חַנָּה (ḥanâ, “grace, gracious, graced with child”). As a Wren with the Royal Marines, after Hannah Snell (1723–1792) who disguised herself as a man to serve in the British military. Doublet of Ann, Anne, Anna, and Ana.

Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am I not better to thee than ten sons?

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Samuel 1:8:

(biblical) Mother of the prophet Samuel in the Old Testament.


Origenism

(Christianity) The teachings of Origen of Alexandria (fl. 3rd century), a Greek Church Father; in particular:

Apocatastasis, the doctrine that all creatures including Satan will be saved before the end of time, condemned as anathema at the Synod of Constantinople in 543 CE.

The doctrine that all souls are created by God prior to conception, also condemned at the Synod of Constantinople.


transcendentalist

“I accept the universe” is reported to have been a favorite utterance of our New England transcendentalist, Margaret Fuller; and when some one repeated this phrase to Thomas Carlyle, his sardonic comment is said to have been: “Gad! she'd better!”

1902, William James, “Lecture 2”, in The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature […] , New York, N.Y.; London: Longmans, Green, and Co. […], →OCLC:


transcendentalism

en-noun

transcendentalism (countable and uncountable, plural transcendentalisms)

A philosophy which holds that reasoning is key to understanding reality (associated with Kant); philosophy which stresses intuition and spirituality (associated with Ralph Waldo Emerson); transcendental character or quality.

transcendentalisme

a philosophy which holds that reasoning is key to understanding reality

A movement of writers and philosophers in New England in the 19th century who were loosely bound together by adherence to an idealistic system of thought based on a belief in the essential supremacy of insight over logic and experience for the revelation of the deepest truths.

超驗主義

a movement of writers and philosophers in New England in the 19th century


omer

From Biblical Hebrew עומר / עֹמֶר ('ómer, “sheaf”).

...that Omer which was every mans daily portion of Manna, is computed to have bin more then might have well suffic'd the heartiest feeder thrice as many meals.

And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.

(historical units of measure) A former small Hebrew unit of dry volume equal to about 2.3 L or 2.1 quarts.

(Judaism) The sheaf of barley offered on the second day of Passover.


omer

(Judaism) The counting of the omer, that is, the period of 49 days between Passover and Shavuot.


teacher

From Middle English techere, equivalent to teach + -er. More at teach.

(Mormonism) The second highest office in the Aaronic priesthood, held by priesthood holders of at least the age of 14.


confirm

en-verb

confirm (third-person singular simple present confirms, present participle confirming, simple past and past participle confirmed)

confirms (present singular third-person)
confirming (participle present)
confirmed (participle past)
confirmed (past)

⇒ Cantonese: firm (foem1)

From Middle English confirmen, confermen, from Old French confermer, from Latin cōnfirmāre (“to make firm, strengthen, establish”), from con- (“together”) + firmāre (“to make firm”), from firmus (“firm”).

der

She pulled through with the boy till he was confirmed; but then she told him that she could not feed him any longer; he would have to go out and earn his own bread.

1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 215:

Elizabeth, daughter of Henry VIII, was baptized and confirmed at the age of three days.

1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society, published 2012, page 35:

(transitive, Christianity) To administer the sacrament of confirmation on (someone).


Chumash

en-proper noun

Chumash (countable and uncountable, plural Chumashim or Chumashes)

From Yiddish חומש (khumesh), from Hebrew חוּמָשׁ (khumásh), from חֲמִישָּׁה (khamishá, “five”).


agendum

From Latin agendum, substantive use of the neuter singular of agendus (“which ought to be done”), future passive participle (gerundive) of agō (“I do, act, make”).

The American Heritage Dictionary's entry and usage note for 'agenda'

Coordinate term: credendum

(theology) Something to be done; a practical duty, rather than an article of faith.


loa

Here, on the Island Below the Sea, the loa have their permanent residence, their primal location.

1953, Maya Deren, Divine Horsemen, McPherson & Company, published 2004, page 36:

Some will caution you at great length about the dangers of Vodou. They will tell you that the lwa are jealous, thin-skinned, and hot-tempered.

2007, Kevin Filan, The Haitian Vodou Handbook, Destiny Books, page 3:

Equally surprising is to find St Patrick so prominent in many Vodou shrines, until one remembers that he too had been a slave who had twice crossed the sea, the second time to freedom, and that he had particular power over snakes, like the loa (Haitian equivalent of orisha) Dambala Wèdo.

2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin, published 2010, page 714:

In the voodoo religion, a spirit intermediary between Bondye (the creator god) and human beings.


azymite

From Latin azȳmita, from Ancient Greek ἀζῡμίτης (azūmítēs), from ἄζῡμος (ázūmos) + -ῑ́της (-ī́tēs, suffix forming masculine nouns meaning being connected to or a member of something, or coming from a particular place). ἄζῡμος is derived from ᾰ̓- (a-, the alpha privativum, a prefix forming words having a sense opposite to the word or stem to which it is attached) + ζύμη (zúmē, “leaven, yeast”) + -ος (-os, suffix forming nouns of result or abstract nouns of action). The English word is analysable as, by surface analysis, a- + zym- + -ite or azyme + -ite.

“Shall we drink a cup in honour of the Holy Virgin, and confusion to the Azymites?” / “Yes, yes! shouted the multitude. “Away with the Azymites—we want no new religion here;” and, singing and shouting, they threw up their caps in the air, […]

1843, Catherine Charlotte Maberly, Melanthe; or, The Days of the Medici: A Tale of the Fifteenth Century, volume 1, page 248:

“Away with them!” cried the Greeks; “we want no Latin allies! Away with the worship of the azymites!”

1898, Joseph Epiphane Darras, Martin John Spalding, Charles Ignatius White, A General History of the Catholic Church: From the Commencement of the Christian Era to the Twentieth Century, volume 3, page 602:

Moreover, the Azymites were often guilty of another monstrous crime: they fasted judaistically on Saturdays.

1916, Rothay Reynolds, My Slav Friends, page 15:

(Eastern Orthodoxy, historical, derogatory) One who administers the Eucharist with unleavened bread, in particular a member of the Latin Church or Roman Catholic Church.

azymite

one who administers the Eucharist with unleavened bread


elect

Borrowed from Latin ēlēctus, past participle of ēligō (“to pick out, choose, elect”), from ē- (“out”) + legō (“to pick out, pick, gather, collect, etc.”); see legend.
Cognate to eclectic, which is via Ancient Greek rather than Latin, hence prefix ἐκ (ek), rather than e- (from ex).

Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Isaiah 42:1:

Shall not God avenge his won elect?

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 18:7:

(theology) In Calvinist theology, one foreordained to Heaven. In other Christian theologies, someone chosen by God for salvation.


Ave Maria

/ˈɑːveɪ̯ məˈɹiːə/

From Middle English Ave Maria, Ave Marie, Ave Mary(e), from Latin Avē Marīa.

Hail Mary (Catholic prayer, part of the rosary)


damn

en-verb

damn (third-person singular simple present damns, present participle damning, simple past and past participle damned)

damns (present singular third-person)
damning (participle present)
damned (participle past)
damned (past)
damn (infinitive)

From Middle English dampnen, from Old French damner, from Latin damnāre (“to condemn, inflict loss upon”), from damnum (“loss”).

der

The official position is that anyone who does this will be damned for all eternity.

Only God can damn.

I damn you eternally, fiend!

(theology, transitive, intransitive) To condemn to hell.


mohel

en-noun

mohel (plural mohels or mohelim or mohalim)

mohels (plural)
mohelim (plural)
mohalim (plural)

From Hebrew מוֹהֵל (mohél), but the common pronunciations are borrowed via Yiddish מוהל (moyel).

(Judaism) The person who performs the circumcision in a Jewish bris.


undead

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-undead.wav

From Middle English undede, equivalent to un- + dead. The first attestation is from around 1400. Usage as a noun is attested from the early 20th century onwards.

Pertaining to a corpse, though having qualities of life.


ayatollah

Borrowed from Iranian Persian آیَتُاللّٰه (âyato-l-lâh), from Classical Persian آیَةُاللّٰه (āyatu-l-lāh), from Arabic آيَةُ ٱللَّٰهِ (ʔāyatu llāhi, “sign of God”, from آيَة (ʔāya, “sign”) + اللّٰه (allāh, “God”)).

der

آيَةُ ٱللَّٰهِ

(Islam) A religious leader in Twelver Shi'ism.


Avesta

From Persian اوستا (avestâ), from Middle Persian [script needed] (abestāg /ʾp(y)stʾk'/), of uncertain meaning.

(Zoroastrianism) The primary collection of religious texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language.

الأَبِسْتَاق

the sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language.


haunted

en-adj

haunted (comparative more haunted, superlative most haunted or hauntedest)

more haunted (comparative)
most haunted (superlative)
hauntedest (superlative)

The hotel was haunted by a disembodied spirit.

Of a location, frequented by a ghost or ghosts.


Jewess

From Middle English Jewesse, from Old French juiesse, juise; equivalent to Jew + -ess.

And the prominent, if not indeed the principal, part in the system of terrorism applied by the Extraordinary Commissions for Combating Counter-Revolution has been taken by Jews, and in some notable cases by Jewesses.

1920, Winston Churchill, Zionism versus Bolshevism:

To whom did Ivanhoe tip his lance in gallantry today?
To a Jewess named Rebecca, daughter of Isaac, the banker of his tribe.
What could he want of the Jews except money for the ransom?

As for Wahram V (Gur), the Zoroastrian Persians could see him as a legitimate ruler and the Jews would see him as a Jewish king. After all, he was Jewish since his mother was a Jewess.

2009, Touraj Daryaee, Sasanian Persia: The Rise and Fall of an Empire, London: I.B.Tauris, →ISBN, page 78:

You really are a high-class Jewess, lemme tell ya.

2015, Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, Knockoffs (Broad City), season 2, episode 4, spoken by Bobbi Wexler (Susie Essman), via Comedy Central:


devil

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁
Proto-Indo-European *dwísder.
Ancient Greek διά (diá)
Ancient Greek δια- (dia-)
Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH-der.
Ancient Greek βᾰ́λλω (bállō)
Ancient Greek διαβάλλω (diabállō)
Ancient Greek διάβολος (diábolos)bor.
Latin diabolusbor.
Proto-West Germanic *diubul
Old English dēofol
Middle English devel
English devil
From Middle English devil, devel, deovel, from Old English dēofol, dēoful, from earlier dīobul (“devil”), from Latin diabolus, ultimately from Ancient Greek διάβολος (diábolos, “false accuser, slanderer”), also as "Satan" (in Jewish/Christian usage, translating Biblical Hebrew שָׂטָן (śātān)), from διαβάλλω (diabállō, “to slander”), literally “to throw across”, from διά (diá, “through, across”) + βάλλω (bállō, “throw”). The Old English word was probably adopted under influence of Latin diabolus (itself from the Greek). Other Germanic languages adopted the word independently: compare Saterland Frisian Düüwel (“devil”), West Frisian duvel (“devil”), Dutch duivel, duvel (“devil”), German Low German Düvel (“devil”), German Teufel (“devil”), Bavarian Teifl (“devil”), Danish djævel (“devil”), Swedish djävul (“devil”) (older: djefvul, Old Swedish diævul, Old Norse djǫfull). Doublet of diable, diablo, and diabolus.


devil

Tok Pisin: tewel

→ Chuukese: tefin

better the devil you know than the devil you don't know

better the devil you know than the one you don't know

devil is beating his wife and marrying his daughter

he who sups with the devil should have a long spoon

the devil we know is better than the devil we don't know

the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know

(theology) An evil creature, the objectification of a hostile and destructive force.


conservative

en-adj

conservative (comparative more conservative, superlative most conservative)

more conservative (comparative)
most conservative (superlative)

From Middle French conservatif, from Latin cōnservō (“to preserve”). Equivalent to conserve + -ative.

Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism

(Judaism) Relating to Conservative Judaism.


godchild

/ˈɡɑdˌt͡ʃaɪld/

/ˈɡɒdˌt͡ʃaɪld/

Mary stood as godmother for little Emily, her godchild.

A child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent. In some cases the relationship is maintained indefinitely, with the godchild being treated much like a niece or nephew.

famull

a child whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent


specter

From Middle French spectre, from Latin spectrum (“appearance, apparition”). Doublet of spectrum.

der

A specter haunted the cemetery at the old Vasquez manor.

Nevertheleſſe, they which ſhould ſee thoſe Iſles thus to moove in this manner, not knowing before that the ſame were naturall: they would entertaine many and diverſe apprehenſions in their fantaſie, & would imagine that they ſawe a thing very ſtrange and prodigious, and ſuch as did very neere approach to the nature of ſome Specter [translating spectre] and viſion.

1605, Peter de Loier [i.e., Pierre Le Loyer], translated by [Zachary Jones], “The many things being meerely Naturall are taken by the Sight or Hearing being deceived, for Specters and things prodigious”, in A Treatise of Specters or Straunge Sights, Visions and Apparitions Appearing Sensibly vnto Men. […], London: […] Val[entine] S[immes] for Mathew Lownes, →OCLC, folio 62, verso:

A ghostly apparition, a phantom. [from 17th c.]


din

(Islam) Alternative spelling of deen (“religion, faith, religiosity”).


archbishop

/ˌɑː(ɹ)t͡ʃˈbɪʃəp/

/ˈɑː(ɹ)t͡ʃˌbɪʃəp/

From Middle English erchebischop, archebischop, from Old English arċebisċop (“archbishop”), from Late Latin or Ecclesiastical Latin archiepiscopus, from Ancient Greek ἀρχιεπίσκοπος (arkhiepískopos), from ἀρχι- (arkhi-, “first, chief”) + ἐπίσκοπος (epískopos, “overseer”), from ἐπισκοπέω (episkopéō, “I watch over”), from ἐπί (epí, “over”) + σκοπέω (skopéō, “I examine”), equivalent to arch- + bishop.

ἀρχιεπίσκοπος

compound

A senior bishop who is in charge of an archdiocese, and presides over a group of dioceses called a province (in Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, etc.)


convict

en-verb

convict (third-person singular simple present convicts, present participle convicting, simple past and past participle convicted)

convicts (present singular third-person)
convicting (participle present)
convicted (participle past)
convicted (past)

From Middle English convicten, from Anglo-Norman convicter, from Latin convictus, the past participle of convincō (“to convict”). Doublet of convince. Displaced native Old English forwyrċan (“to convict, condemn”).

ncog

(chiefly religion) To convince, persuade; to cause (someone) to believe in (something).


Ahti

(Egyptian mythology) A goddess in Egyptian mythology.


awakening

/əˈweɪ̯kənɪŋ/

(religion) A revival of religion, or more general attention to religious matters than usual.


preacher

From Middle English precher, prechere; partly equivalent to preach + -er, and partly continuing Middle English prechour, prechiour, from Old French preecheor (French prêcheur), from Latin praedicator (“public praiser, proclaimer”). See preach.
Displaced native Old English bydel.

der

The born preacher we feel instinctively to be our foe. He may do some good to the wretches that have been struck down and lie gasping on the battlefield: he rouses antagonism in the strong.

1859, George Meredith, chapter 10, in The Ordeal of Richard Feverel. A History of Father and Son. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Chapman and Hall, →OCLC:

Someone who preaches a worldview, philosophy, or religion, especially someone who preaches the gospel and especially a clergyman or clergywoman.


diocese

From Middle English diocise, from Old French diocese, from Late Latin diocēsis, from Latin dioecēsis (“district under a governor”), from Ancient Greek διοίκησις (dioíkēsis, “internal administration”).

(historical) An administrative division of the later Roman Empire, established by the Herodian tetrarchy.

diokeesi

administrative division of the Roman Empire

(Christianity) A group of parishes administered by a bishop.


sepulchre

From Middle English sepulcre and Old French sepulcre, from Latin sepulcrum (“grave, burial place”).

(Christianity, historical) A recess in some early churches in which the reserved sacrament, etc. was kept from Good Friday till Easter.


Dervish

/ˈdɜː(ɹ)vɪʃ/

From Turkish derviş, from Persian درویش (darviš).

(historical) A citizen or inhabitant of Darawiish (circa 1895–1920 C.E.), the Dhulbahante anti-colonial polity geographically corresponding with Khaatumo.


Michal

And as the Arke of the Lord came into the citie of Dauid, Michal Sauls daughter looked through a window, and saw king Dauid leaping and dauncing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Samuel 6:16:

(biblical) A daughter of Saul and wife of David in the Old Testament.


godmother

From Middle English godmoder, from Old English godmōdor (“godmother”), equivalent to god- + mother. Cognate with Old High German gotmuoter (“godmother”), Old Norse guðmóðir (“godmother”), Icelandic guðmóður (“godmother”), Swedish gudmoder (“godmother”), Danish gudmor (“godmother”).

A woman present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner; a female godparent who sponsors the baptism of a child.

madrinha

reflects the relationship to the baptized child

comadre

reflects the relationship to the parents of the baptized child, not to the child


circumcision

en-noun

circumcision (countable and uncountable, plural circumcisions)

/ˌsɜː(ɹ)kəmˈsɪʒən/

From Latin circumcīsiō, from circumcīdō (“cut around”), from circum (“about, around; through”) + caedō (“cut, hew”).

The surgical excision of the foreskin and usually all or most of the penile frenulum.

(modern Judaism, usually specifically) Pharisaic circumcision.