Christian

Alternative forms

• christian (uncommon)
• Xtian (abbreviation)
• Xian (abbreviation, sometimes derogatory)

Etymology

From Middle English Cristien, from Old French chrestien, from Latin Chrīstiānus, from Ancient Greek Χρῑστιᾱνός (Khrīstiānós), from Χρῑστός (Khrīstós, “Christ, anointed [one]”) + Latin suffix -ānus. The older form is Christen. Doublet of cretin. By surface analysis, Christ +‎ -ian.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɹɪʃt͡ʃən/, /ˈkɹɪstiən/, /ˈkɹɪst͡ʃən/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪstʃən
• Homophone: Cristian
• Hyphenation: Chris‧tian

Noun

Christian (plural Christians)

2. A believer in Christianity.
   • 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, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:

     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.

   • 1848, James Ford translating St. Augustine in The Gospel of St. Matthew, Illustrated from Ancient and Modern Authors, p. 46:

     The whole life of a good Christian is nothing else but a state of holy desire (sanctum desiderium).

   • 1925, E. Stanley Jones, The Christ of the Indian Road, page 118:

     “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.”

   • 2008, Christopher Catherwood, Making War in the Name of God, page 188:

     […] thousands of people have been killed in recent years in violence between Muslims and Christians […]

   1. (nonstandard) An adherent of Christianity who is not a Catholic; a Protestant.
      • 2011, Denise Tse-Shang Tang, Conditional Spaces: Hong Kong Lesbian Desires and Everyday Life, Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, →ISBN, pages 67–68:

        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.

      • 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, →ISBN, page 123:

        In South Korea, the Mingjung Theology inspired Christians and Catholics to question the legitimacy of the authoritarian regime.

      • 2013, Eze Ikechukwu, Being a Christian in Igbo Land: Facts, Fictions and Challenges, Berlin: Logos Verlag Berlin GmbH, →ISBN:

        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.

      • 2021, Yahonathan Daweed, Yahweh for Christians: I Am Original Words, Original Truth, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Dorrance Publishing Co, →ISBN, page 161:

        Catholics, Christians, Jews, Muslims, and any other dogma that you read about were warring, while fully in their deception from the Light of Truth.

      • 2022, Arthur David Canales, Pastoral Care to and Ministry with LGBTQ Youth and Young Adults, Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock, →ISBN, page 69:

        Another way Christians and Catholics are perceived as anti-homosexual is via institutional oppression.

3. A person who seeks to live his or her life according to the principles and values taught by Jesus Christ.
   • 1526, William Bonde, Preface to Pylgrimage of Perfection:

     Ye lyfe of euery christian, is as a pilgremage.

   • 1976, Friedrich Nietzsche, translated by Walter Arnold Kaufmann, The Antichrist, §39:

     The very word ‘Christianity’ is a misunderstanding—at bottom there was only one Christian, and he died on the cross.

   • 1991 September, Stephen Fry, chapter 1, in The Liar, London: Heinemann, →ISBN, →OCLC, section II, page 20:

     ‘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.’
     ‘Sir.’
     ‘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.’

4. (obsolete, England) A European, especially though not necessarily of the Christian religion.

Proper noun

Christian (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

Christian (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.
      • 2000 November 10, “The scourge of evil spirits”, in SCMP‎:

        While Christian churches allow lay believers in Jesus to do exorcism, Catholics limit the practice to selected priests.

      • 2011, Denise Tse-Shang Tang, Conditional Spaces: Hong Kong Lesbian Desires and Everyday Life, Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, →ISBN, page 67:

        This is not to say that there is no discord within Christian and Catholic congregations on this issue.

      • 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, →ISBN:

        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.

2. (not comparable) Of, like or relating to Jesus Christ.
3. Kind, charitable; moral; a term of approbation.

   That’s very Christian of you.

   • 1824, Susan Ferrier, The Inheritance:

     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.

   • 1854, Nathaniel James Merriman, The Kafir, the Hottentot, and the frontier farmer, page 74:

     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.

   • 1859, David W. Belisle, The American family Robinson, page 290:

     “Besides this,” said the trapper, “it is hardly a Christian act to leave these two men to perish by the hands of the savages […] ”

   • 1867, Henry Shepheard, Ithuriel’s spear; or, Is this Christianity?, page 118:

     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 […]

   • c. 1867, Janet Robertson, Christine; or, Common-Place People:

     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 […]

   • 1981, Mary Leader, Salem’s Children, →ISBN, page 82:

     “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.

   • 1995, Patrick Colm Hogan, Joyce, Milton, and the theory of influence‎, page 88:

     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.

   • 1996 Nov-Dec, Richard Blow, “Al Franken”, in Mother Jones Magazine‎, volume 21, number 6:

     I didn’t think it was very Christian of them, not to call back. Just downright Un-Christian.

   • 2009, Adriane Danette Lentz-Smith, Freedom Struggles: African Americans and World War I‎, page 209:

     Mood and hopes ran high. Onto the stage, into this mélange of black power, military symbolism, and Christian striving, walked Kathryn Johnson.

   • 2010, Linda Woodbridge, English Revenge Drama: Money, Resistance, Equality‎, page 268:

     Henry Irving and other Victorian actors easily created empathy for Shylock, even in a muscularly Christian period.

Usage notes

This section or entry lacks references or sources. Please help verify this information by adding appropriate citations. You can also discuss it at the Tea Room.

• Use of the term “Christian” in the generalised approbative sense “kind, moral” may be displeasing to some non-Christians.

See also

Anagrams

• Christina, trichinas

Etymology

From English Christian, from Latin Chrīstiānus, from Ancient Greek Χρῑστιᾱνός (Khrīstiānós), from Χρῑστός (Khrīstós, “Christ, anointed one”).

Proper noun

Christian

1. a male given name from English [in turn from Latin, in turn from Ancient Greek]

Alternative forms

• Kristian

Etymology

From Latin Chrīstiānus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈkʰʁɛsd̥jan]

Proper noun

Christian c

1. a male given name
   • 1778, Johannes Ewald, Danish royal anthem:

     Kong Christian stod ved højen mast
     i røg og damp;
     hans værge hamrede så fast,
     at gotens hjelm og hjerne brast.
     Da sank hvert fjendtligt spejl og mast
     i røg og damp.

     King Christian stood by the lofty mast
     In mist and smoke;
     His sword was hammering so fast,
     Through Gothic helm and brain it passed;
     Then sank each hostile hulk and mast,
     In mist and smoke.

References

• Danskernes Navne, based on CPR data: 146 350 males with the given name Christian (compared to 72 098 named Kristian) have been registered in Denmark between about 1890 (=the population alive in 1967) and January 2005, with the frequency peak in the 19th century. Accessed on 19 June 2011.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kʁis.tjɑ̃/

• Audio:

  (file)

Proper noun

Christian m

1. a male given name, feminine equivalent Christiane, Christine, or Christelle, equivalent to English Christian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈkʀɪsti̯an]

• Audio (Austria):

  (file)

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Chris‧ti‧an

Proper noun

Christian m

1. a male given name, feminine equivalent Christiane, Christina, or Christine

Alternative forms

• Kristian

Etymology

From Latin Chrīstiānus.

Proper noun

Christian m

1. a male given name

References

• Kristoffer Kruken - Ola Stemshaug: Norsk personnamnleksikon, Det Norske Samlaget, Oslo 1995, →ISBN
• Statistisk sentralbyrå, Namnestatistikk: 13 192 males with the given name Christian (compared to 15 707 named Kristian) living in Norway on January 1st 2011, with the frequency peak in the 1980s. Accessed on April 29th, 2011.

Proper noun

Christian m (nominative singular Christians)

1. a male given name, equivalent to English Christian

Proper noun

Christian c (genitive Christians)

1. a male given name, variant of Kristian

References

• Roland Otterbjörk: Svenska förnamn, Almqvist & Wiksell 1996, →ISBN
• Statistiska centralbyrån and Sture Allén, Staffan Wåhlin, Förnamnsboken, Norstedts 1995, →ISBN: 36,914 males with the given name Christian (compared to 14,967 named Kristian) living in Sweden on December 31st, 2010, with the frequency peak in the 1980s. Accessed on 19 June 2011.

Anagrams

• Christina