Protestant

Alternative forms

• protestant

Etymology

Borrowed from either German Protestant or French protestant, one likely reinforced by the other; equivalent to protest +‎ -ant.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹɒtɪstənt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹɑtɪstənt/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

Protestant (plural Protestants)

1. (Christianity) A member of any of several Christian denominations which separated from the Roman Catholic Church based on theological or political differences during the Reformation (or in some cases later).

   Synonym: (nonstandard) Christian

2. (historical) A member of the Church of England or Church of Ireland, as distinct from Protestant nonconformists or dissenters
   • 1827 [1796] Theobald Wolfe Tone, Memoirs Vol.1 p.64 (Henry Colburn, London) ed. William Theobald Wolfe Tone:

     To unite the whole people of Ireland; to abolish the memory of all past dissensions; and to substitute the common name of Irishman in place of the denominations of Protestant, Catholic, and Dissenter—these were my means.

   • 1893 June 14, Hansard 4th series Vol 13 HC Deb c.1001

     MR. SEXTON said, he had always understood that the difference between Protestants and Presbyterians was not a difference of creed, but as to episcopacy and practice.

Adjective

Protestant (comparative more Protestant, superlative most Protestant)

1. (Christianity) Of or pertaining to several denominations of Christianity that separated from the Roman Catholic Church based on theological or political differences during the Reformation.

   Synonym: (nonstandard) Christian

   • 1840, Norwich Operative Protestant Association, Released statement, The Penny Protestant Operative, page 15:

     It is not perhaps too much to say, that a more harmonious, a more decorous, a more loyal, a more Protestant, a more Christian meeting, never took place within the walls of our ancient city.

   • 1855, Napoléon Roussel, Catholic and Protestant Nations Compared, volumes 1-2, page 120:

     To make this perfectly clear, we shall contrast a few of the most Protestant with a few of the most Roman Catholic counties.

   • 2004, Paul Freston, Protestant Political Parties: A Global Survey, page 27:

     For reasons to do with the predominantly Lutheran rather than Calvinist heritage (and to some extent with the postwar division of Germany which hived off the more Protestant East), the participation of Protestants in the CDU has been small.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ant

Noun

Protestant m (weak, genitive Protestanten, plural Protestanten, feminine Protestantin)

1. Protestant (person)
2. protester

Further reading

• “Protestant” in Duden online
• “Protestant” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Noun

Protestant m (plural Protestanten)

1. Protestant

Etymology

From English Protestant.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈprɔtɛsdant/, [ˈpr̥ʰɔtʰɛstantʰ]

Noun

Protestant m (plural Protestaniaid)

1. Protestant

Mutation

References

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “Protestant”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies