Christian

¹

[kris-chuhn]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or derived from Jesus Christ or His teachings.

   a Christian faith.

2. of, pertaining to, believing in, or belonging to the religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ.

   Spain is a Christian country.

3. of or relating to Christians.

   many Christian deaths in the Crusades.

4. exhibiting a spirit proper to a follower of Jesus Christ; Christlike.

   She displayed true Christian charity.

5. Sometimes Offensive.,  decent; respectable.

   They gave him a good Christian burial.

6. Sometimes Offensive.,  human; not brutal; humane.

   Such behavior isn't Christian.

noun

1. a person who believes in Jesus Christ; adherent of Christianity.

2. a person who exemplifies in their life the teachings of Christ.

   He died like a true Christian.

3. a member of any of certain Protestant churches, as the Disciples of Christ and the Plymouth Brethren.

4. the hero of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.

5. a male given name.

Christian

²

[kris-chuhn]

noun

1. Charlie, 1916–42, U.S. jazz guitarist.

Christian

¹

/ ˈkrɪstʃən /

noun

1. 1. a person who believes in and follows Jesus Christ

   2. a member of a Christian Church or denomination

2. informal,  a person who possesses Christian virtues, esp practical ones

adjective

1. of, relating to, or derived from Jesus Christ, his teachings, example, or his followers

2. (sometimes not capital) exhibiting kindness or goodness

Christian

²

/ ˈkrɪstʃən /

noun

1. Charlie. 1919–42, US jazz guitarist

Christian

¹

1. A follower or disciple of Jesus; someone who believes Jesus is the Christ or Messiah. The New Testament mentions that the followers of Jesus were first called Christians within a few years after his death.

Christian

²

1. A follower of Jesus and his teachings. Christian is also a descriptive term for the institutions and practices of Christianity.

Other Word Forms

• Christianly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Christian¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; from Latin Chrīstiānus, from Greek Chrīstiānós, equivalent to Chrīst(ós) Christ + -iānos, from Latin -iānus -ian; replacing Middle English, Old English cristen from Latin, as above

Example Sentences

Yet his popularity among White Christians has not suffered; if anything, he fits their “Cyrus prophecy” about how wicked men can be used to fulfill God’s plans for the nation.

From Salon

In addition to Orthodox Christian crosses, military banners and Russian tricolours mark each plot.

From BBC

By all accounts, Liverpool's dealings with Palace over Christian Benteke's move from Merseyside to London six months earlier was not straight forward either.

From BBC

So determined was he to avoid sectarianism that he even gave sermons in Christian churches.

From BBC

Israel has accused the case of having antisemitic motivations, calling it a "blood libel", in reference to historic allegations that Jewish communities ritually murder Christian children.

From BBC