Christendom
(ˈkrɪs(ə)ndəm)
Forms: 1–6 cristendom, 6– christendom. Also 3–6 cristin-, cristyn-, crysten-, etc.; with suffix, 1– -dom, 4 -doom, 4–5 -dam, 4–7 -dome; dial. 7– kirsendom.
[OE. cristendóm, f. cristen Christian (christen a.) + - -dóm suffix of dignity, position, quality: see -dom. Cf. ON. kristindómr, Sw. kristendom, Dan. christendom, MHG. kristentuom, MG. kristintûm.]
† 1. The state or condition of being Christian; = Christianity 3. to take Christendom: to accept Christianity, become Christian; see also 4.
| c 893 K. ælfred Oros. ii. iv, Ac heo [Rome] for hiere cristendome nuᵹiet is ᵹescild. a 1134 O.E. Chron. an. 1129 Ealle þa þet Cristendome hæfdon. c 1230 Hali Meid. 33 Forsaken Crist and hire cristendom and rihte bileaue. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 549 Til he thurgh grace may com Til baptem and til cristendom. 1460 J. Capgrave Chron. (1858) 81 Whethir he wold forsake his knythod or his Cristendam. 1529 More Dial. Heresy iv. Wks. 259/2 A christen mannes euill liuing, can not be imputed to hys christendome. 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, i. iii. 15. 1642 Jer. Taylor Episc. xix, Any man that would not have his Christendome suspected. 1681 Baxter Search Schism. ii. 13 Admitted to Christendom by baptism. |
† b. by my Christendom! = as I am a Christian! (Cf. by my halidom, faith, etc.) Obs.
| c 1325 Coer de L. 929 Be my Crystyndham. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 1906 ‘By þe cristendom þat y fong’{revsc} quaþ Terry. 1595 Shakes. John iv. i. 16 By my Christendome, I should be as merry as the day is long. 1599 Nashe Lenten Stuffe (1871) 93 The gaping rural fools..swore by their Christendoms..they never saw such a miracle. |
† 2. The Christian faith or religious system; Christianity. Obs.
| a 1000 Judith (Grein) Epilog. 264 Se cristendom weox on heora timan. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 5 Seodþan þe cristindom wes. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 1526 Seinte Peter..Pope was at rome verst cristendom to lere. 1393 Gower Conf. I. 184 She fonde No Christendome in thilke londe. c 1450 Merlin iii. 55 Seth cristendom come first in-to this Ile. 1588 R. Parke tr. Mendoza's Hist. China 334 Many crosses and many other signes and tokens of Christendome. 1649 tr. Behmen's Ep. xxxiv. (1886) 16 The present Christendom is merely titular and verbal. |
† b. The sacraments and other ordinances of Christianity; Christian privileges. Obs. rare.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 10209 The meste was, alas! that ther nas no Cristendom. 1635 E. Pagitt Christianogr. ii. vi. (1636) 62 Englands want of Churches and Christendome. |
3. a. Christians collectively; the church.
| a 1131 O.E. Chron. an. 1129 Nu wærð swa mycel dwyld on Cristendom swa it næfre ær ne wæs. c 1340 Cursor M. 29281 (Cotton Galba) Þe pape of rome..Þe hele of cristendom and heuyd. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. I. 395 To lede alle Cristyndoom to hevene. 1642 Jer. Taylor Episc. xiii, The successive practice of Christendom. 1866 Liddon Bamptom Lect. i. 1 The momentous question which..has rivetted the eye of thinking and adoring Christendom. Ibid. viii, The Creed of Christendom. |
† b. A particular body or community of Christians. Obs. rare.
| c 1205 Lay. 29366 And fordude al þisne cristindom. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 103 Ageyn þe paemy þe Cristendam to saue. |
c. The countries professing Christianity taken collectively; the Christian domain.
| 1389 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 36 Ȝef ony broþer..deye in straunge cuntre, in cristendom or in hethenesse. c 1460 Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. (1714) 67 The Kyng of Spayne, one of the myghtyest Kyngs in Crystendome. 1528 Tindale Obed. Chr. Man Wks. (1573) 139 Not..a foote of grounde in christendome. a 1627 Middleton Mayor Quinb. v. i, The king of Kirsendom Shall not be better welcome. 1669 Dryden Wild Gallant ii. i, One of the arrantest cowards in Christendom. 1717 Lady M. W. Montague Lett. II. xlvii. 44 Among the Turks..false witnesses are much cheaper than in Christendom. 1849 Trench Mirac. Prelim. Ess. vi, A Christendom ‘commensurate and almost synonymous with the civilized world’. |
† d. The Christian dispensation. Obs. rare.
| c 1340 Cursor M. 22268 (Fairf.) Þer salle be a king..of al oþer kingis þe last..þer salle he ȝilde vp..his coroun & his kingis wande til ihesu crist..and squa salle cristen-dome take ende. |
† 4. Baptism, as a token of admission to the Christian church; christening. Obs. to take christendom: ‘to receive baptism’. (Cf. 1.)
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 4959 Seint oswald..is godfader was in is cristendom. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 9496 The fyrst sacrament ys holy bapteme..Crystendom or crystynyng. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xii. 280 Troianus was a trewe knyȝte and toke neuere cristendome, And he is sauf. 1382 Wyclif Rom. vi. 4 We ben to gidere biried with him bi cristendom [1388 baptym] in to deeth. 1483 Cath. Angl., A crystendam; baptismus, baptisma. 1519 W. Horman Vulg. 17 b, I was called Wyllyam at my christendome. 1680 Hon. Cavalier 8 The unfortunate Infants..have no Christendom. |
† b. Allusively. (a) Washing or sprinkling; (b) Giving of a name, ‘christening’. Obs.
| 1596 Nashe Saffron Walden 83 How can he maintaine his peak in true christendome of rose-water euerie morning? 1601 Shakes. All's Well i. i. 188 A world Of pretty fond adoptious christendomes That blinking Cupid gossips. |
† 5. Oil for chrism or anointing. Obs. rare.
| c 1511 1st Eng. Bk. Amer. (Arb.) Introd. 35 That same tree, ther yat holy crestendom or olye out ronneth. |