Definition of "Christian"

Christian

/ˈkɹɪʃt͡ʃən/

noun
plural Christians
1. A believer in Christianity.
  Quotations
  Shyl.... If a Iewe wrong a Christian, what is his humillity, reuenge? If a Christian wrong a Iewe, what should his sufferance be by Christian example, why reuenge? The villanie you teach me I will execute, and it shall goe hard but I will better the instruction.
  c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene i]
  The whole life of a good Christian is nothing else but a state of holy desire (sanctum desiderium).
  1848, James Ford translating St. Augustine in The Gospel of St. Matthew, Illustrated from Ancient and Modern Authors, p. 46
  "Mahatma Gandhi, I am very anxious to see Christianity naturalized in India, so that it shall be no longer a foreign thing identified with foreign people and a foreign government, but a part of the national life of India... What would you suggest that we do to make that possible?" He very gravely and thoughtfully replied: "I would suggest, first, that all of you Christians, missionaries and all, must begin to live more like Jesus Christ."
  1925, E. Stanley Jones, The Christ of the Indian Road, page 118
  ...thousands of people have been killed in recent years in violence between Muslims and Christians...
  2008, Christopher Catherwood, Making War in the Name of God, page 188
  1. (nonstandard) An adherent of Christianity who is not a Catholic; a Protestant.
    Quotations
    On the contrary, many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Christians and Catholics, including heterosexual allies of lesbians and gay Christians, of them, have voiced their opinions on the complicated issues of religion and sexuality.
    2011, Denise Tse-Shang Tang, Conditional Spaces: Hong Kong Lesbian Desires and Everyday Life, Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, pages 67–68
    In South Korea, the Mingjung Theology inspired Christians and Catholics to question the legitimacy of the authoritarian regime.
    2012, Cheng-tian Kuo, “Institutional Choices of Church-State Relations in Chinese Societies”, in Baogang Guo, Chung-chian Teng, editors, Taiwan and the Rise of China: Cross-Strait Relations in the Twenty-first Century, Lanham: Lexington Books, page 123
    The point of emphasis here is the fact that many Igbo became Catholics or Christians not because they were convinced of the teachings and practice of Christianity but as a result of many factors.
    2013, Eze Ikechukwu, Being a Christian in Igbo Land: Facts, Fictions and Challenges, Berlin: Logos Verlag Berlin GmbH
    Catholics, Christians, Jews, Muslims, and any other dogma that you read about were warring, while fully in their deception from the Light of Truth.
    2021, Yahonathan Daweed, Yahweh for Christians: I Am Original Words, Original Truth, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Dorrance Publishing Co, page 161
    Another way Christians and Catholics are perceived as anti-homosexual is via institutional oppression.
    2022, Arthur David Canales, Pastoral Care to and Ministry with LGBTQ Youth and Young Adults, Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock, page 69
2. An individual who seeks to live his or her life according to the principles and values taught by Jesus Christ.
  Quotations
  Ye lyfe of euery christian, is as a pilgremage.
  1526, William Bonde, Preface to Pylgrimage of Perfection
  The very word 'Christianity' is a misunderstanding—at bottom there was only one Christian, and he died on the cross.
  1976, Friedrich Nietzsche, translated by Walter Arnold Kaufmann, The Antichrist, §39
  ‘You're riding for a fall, Healey, you know that? There are hedges and ditches ahead and you are on course for an almighty cropper.... And I shall be cheering and laughing as you tumble,’ said Meddlar, his spectacles flashing.‘That's just the warm-hearted Christian in you, sir.’
  1991, Stephen Fry, The Liar, London: Heinemann, page 29
3. (obsolete, England) A European, especially though not necessarily of the Christian religion.
proper noun
countable and uncountable, plural Christians
1. A male given name from Ancient Greek found in England since the twelfth century.
2. A female given name from Ancient Greek of medieval usage, rare today.
3. A surname originating as a patronymic.
4. An unincorporated community in Logan County, West Virginia, United States.
adjective
comparative more Christian, superlative most Christian
1. (not comparable) Of, like or relating to Christianity or Christians.
  1. (nonstandard, not comparable) Of, like or relating to Protestant Christians.
    Quotations
    While Christian churches allow lay believers in Jesus to do exorcism, Catholics limit the practice to selected priests.
    2000 November 10, “The scourge of evil spirits”, in SCMP‎
    This is not to say that there is no discord within Christian and Catholic congregations on this issue.
    2011, Denise Tse-Shang Tang, Conditional Spaces: Hong Kong Lesbian Desires and Everyday Life, Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, page 67
    When asked whether they are Christian, some Catholics respond, "No. I am Catholic." Many Catholics see the Christian question as an attempt to discover whether they have accepted Christ in a way that is more representative of a Protestant or evangelical experience. Saying, "No, I'm not Christian" can also be a way to assert a student's distinctively Catholic identity, even though they know Catholics are Christian because they believe in Christ.
    2019, Katie Brick, J. Cody Nielsen, Greg Jao, Eric Paul Rogers, John A. Monson, “Understanding Christian Students on Campus”, in Kathleen M. Goodman, Mary Ellen Giess, Eboo Patel, editors, Educating About Religious Diversity and Interfaith Engagement: A Handbook for Student Affairs‎, Sterling, Virginia: Stylus Publishing
2. (not comparable) Of, like or relating to Jesus Christ.
3. Kind, charitable; moral; a term of approbation.
  Quotations
  I cannot help thinking there are people in the world who are very tiresome, very impertinent, and very disagreeable; yet, I don't think it would be a very Christian act were I to tell them so.
  1824, Susan Ferrier, The Inheritance
  I must say I have seen him do a very Christian act at the Fish River. Some Kafir women were there eating; he begged of them; they refused to give him any food. […] I gave him some of the victuals we were enjoying, and he instantly broke the bread, and gave of it to these very Kafir women who had just refused any of theirs.
  1854, Nathaniel James Merriman, The Kafir, the Hottentot, and the frontier farmer, page 74
  "Besides this," said the trapper, "it is hardly a Christian act to leave these two men to perish by the hands of the savages […]
  1859, David W. Belisle, The American family Robinson, page 290
  So, in his esteem, an auto da fé — an "act of faith," as the words mean — is really an act of faith — an act of such faith as the author of "Ecce Homo" approves — a most Christian act — a most humane act […]
  1867, Henry Shepheard, Ithuriel's spear; or, Is this Christianity?, page 118
  I have only been at home two days, and here I am come on the third to see you and Tiny, so it is not Christian of you — as my mother would say — to receive your dutiful grand-nephew in such an unkind manner […]
  1867?, Janet Robertson, Christine; or, Common-Place People
  "Why should I? It's very Christian of you." "People here do not think of me as a Christian, Mitti." "I'd call it Christian charity," I floundered. "You think Christians have a monopoly on charity?" she asked. "Well, no," I stammered.
  1981, Mary Leader, Salem's Children, page 82
  Joyce […] must have found himself likewise in accord with Dante's view that "The Goal of Mankind is Universal Peace," a view to which Dante devoted an entire section of his treatise, and a view opposed to the protestant militancy of the more muscularly Christian Milton.
  1995, Patrick Colm Hogan, Joyce, Milton, and the theory of influence‎, page 88
  I didn't think it was very Christian of them, not to call back. Just downright Un-Christian."
  1996 Nov-Dec, Richard Blow, “Al Franken”, in Mother Jones Magazine‎, volume 21, number 6
  Mood and hopes ran high. Onto the stage, into this mélange of black power, military symbolism, and Christian striving, walked Kathryn Johnson.
  2009, Adriane Danette Lentz-Smith, Freedom Struggles: African Americans and World War I‎, page 209
  Henry Irving and other Victorian actors easily created empathy for Shylock, even in a muscularly Christian period.
  2010, Linda Woodbridge, English Revenge Drama: Money, Resistance, Equality‎, page 268

Definition of "Christian"

Christian

noun

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

proper noun

adjective

Quotations

Quotations