Christian, a. and n.
(ˈkrɪstjən)
Also 6 chrystyan, -ian, christien.
[ad. L. Chrīstiān-us, (in Gr. χρῑστιᾱνός, Acts xi. 26), f. Chrīstus, χρῑστός Christ. Introduced with the Renascence in taking the place of the earlier cristen, christen a. (Cf. the Anglo-Fr. cristien, found from 12th c.)]
A. adj.
1. a. Of persons and communities: Believing, professing, or belonging to the religion of Christ.
| 1553 Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 38 They had in lyke maner serued other christian men. 1589 R. Harvey Pl. Perc. (1860) 14 Likening Christian folks to dogs. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iv. i. 295 These be the Christian husbands. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxvi. 150 Christian States punish those that revolt from Christian Religion. 1704 Nelson Fest. & Fasts vii. (1739) 92 The whole Christian Church hath distinguished him by that Character. 1827 Keble Chr. Y., Evening x, The Rulers of this Christian land. |
b. most Christian: a title of the kings of France.
| 1742 Young Nt. Th. vi. 341 O thou most Christian enemy to peace. 1751 J. Brown Shaftesb. Charac. 34 Religious criticism hath made but little progress among the subjects of the most Christian king. 1861 Thackeray Four Georges (1885) 296 His most Christian Majesty and his court. |
c. In the names of various religious sects or associations, as Christian Israelites, † Christian Royalists (see quot.), Christian Socialists (whence Christian Socialism, the principles of Christian Socialists; Christian-socialize v. (nonce-wd.), to imbue with Christian Socialism).
| a 1674 Clarendon Hist. Reb. (1704) III. xv. 497 These are called Christian Royalists, or Fifth-Monarchy-Men. 1856 Mrs. Browning Aur. Leigh v. (1857) 207 A Christian Socialist Is Romney Leigh. 1884 E. Maurice Life F.D. Maurice II. 41 His great wish was to Christianise Socialism, not to Christian-socialise the Universe. 1885 Whitaker's Almanack 198 Persons described as: Christian Army. Christian Believers. Christian Brethren. Christian Disciples. Christian Eliasites. Christian Evangelists. Christian Israelites. Christian Mission. Christian Pioneers. Christian Soldiers. Christian Teetotallers. Christian Temperance Men. Christian Unionists. Free Christian Association. United Christian Army. United Christian Church. |
d. Politics. Christian Democrat (see quot. 1957); so Christian Democratic adj.
| 1934 Webster, Christian Democratic party. 1947 Times 30 Dec. 5/3 The Christian Democrats looked forward to a West German government dominated by themselves and the Liberals. 1949 Commonweal 14 Oct. 16/1 The Christian Democrats are the only political party using the word ‘Christian’ in their name. 1957 Elliott & Summerskill Dict. Politics 67 Christian Democrats, a term describing the members of moderate Roman Catholic political parties in Belgium.., France.., the German Federal Republic.., Italy.., and the Netherlands. After the Second World War the Christian Democratic parties achieved striking successes in these countries on platforms of social reform. 1958 Listener 20 Nov. 813/2 Dr. Adenauer's Christian Democrats. |
2. a. Of things: Pertaining to Christ or his religion: of or belonging to Christianity.
| 1553 Eden Treat. Newe Ind. Title-page, The Christian fayth. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxvii. 12 That wherewith..all Christian confessions [are] agreeable. 1602 Shakes. Ham. v. i. 2 Is she to bee buried in Christian buriall? 1689 Fleetwood Serm. 2 Cor. ix. 12 Wks. (1737) 5 The indigestible difficulties of the Christian Creed. 1847 Ld. Lindsay Lett. Chr. Art Introd. 14 Claiming superiority for Christian over Classic Art. 1849 Ruskin Sev. Lamps vi. iv, That Christian worship which was..to supersede the idolatry..of the pagan. 1866 Liddon Bampt. Lect. i, The central question of Christian Theology. 1876 Green Short Hist. i. §3 A pagan and a Christian altar fronted one another. |
† b. Court Christian: an ecclesiastical court. Obs. exc. Hist.
| 1285 13 Edw. I, Act 4 Placita inde teneantur in curia Christianitatis. 1292 Britton v. x. 10 La conisaunce de matrimoigne et de testament apent a Cristiene court [Nichols transl. The cognizance of marriage and of testaments belongs to the Court Christian]. Ibid. Jekes autaunt qe prové soit en Court cristiene [transl. Until it be proved in Court Christian]. 1628 Coke On Litt. 488 Linwood saith, That Probate of Testaments, De consuetudine Angliæ et non de jure communi, belong to Court-Christian. 1805 East's Rep. V. 353 The defect in the Court Christian is in the trial and not in the jurisdiction. 1863 H. Cox Instit. ii. ii. 311 In the beginning of the reign of Edward I, an Act of Parliament was made..restricting the Courts Christian to causes relating to wills, matrimony, and pure spirituality. |
† c. Christian ale: see quot. and ale 3. Obs.
| 1642 Virgins' Compl. in N. & Q. 14 July 1866 to eat cakes and drink Christian ale on holy daies. |
3. Of persons and their qualities or actions: Showing character and conduct consistent with discipleship to Christ; marked by genuine piety; following the precepts and example of Christ; Christ-like.
| 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lvii, The mutual exercise of Christian Charity. Ibid. lxii. 2 The wane and declination of Christian piety. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. ix. vi. §51 Even the Heathen Romans were so Christian, that..no Vestal Virgin or Flamen of Jupiter was restrained to swear. 1706 Shaftesbury Lett. Enthus. 6 [A] truly Christian Prelate. 1854 H. Miller Sch. & Schm. xvii, The people of Scotland were..considerably more Christian than the larger part of their schoolmasters. 1866 Liddon Bampt. Lect. iii, That supply of light, of love, and of resolve, which enriches..the Christian soul. |
4. Of or belonging to a Christian or Christians.
| 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iv. i. 310 If thou dost shed One drop of Christian bloud. 1694 Acc. Sev. Late Voy. i. (1711) 51 Some Christian Ship had been here. 1876 Green Short Hist. i. §3 The enthusiasm for the Christian God, faith in whom had been bought so dearly. |
5. a. Human as distinguished from brutal; now only colloq. or humorous. b. mod. colloq. or slang. Of things: Becoming a Christian; ‘civilized’, ‘decent’, ‘respectable’. Cf. B. 3.
| 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iii. (1586) 156 This medecine wil also remedy a christian creature. 1682 D'Urfey Butler's Ghost 76 Christian breeches without hole. Ibid. 137 And make such wrack of Christian Food. 1818 Scott Leg. Montrose xiv, Had you been to fight with any Christian weapons. |
6. Christian name: the name given at christening; the personal name, as distinguished from the family name or surname. (Also allusively = ‘proper name’.) Hence to Christian-name v. trans. (nonce-wd.), to call by one's Christian name; Christian-named ppl. a., having a Christian name.
| 1549 Latimer 3rd Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 83 Nowe a dayes they call them gentle rewardes, let them leaue their colourynge, and cal them by their Christian name Brybes. 1605 Camden Rem. 49 That the giving of Surnames for Christian names began in the time of king Edward the sixt. 1727 Pope Th. on Var. Subj., When a man is made a spiritual peer he loses his sir-name; when a temporal, his christian-name. 1775 Sheridan Scheming Lieut. ii. iv, I never knew any good come of giving girls these heathen christian names. 1823 Lamb Elia, Mackery End, We..were familiar, even to the calling each other by our Christian Names. |
| 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xx. (1866) 162 The girls Christian-named each other. 1866 Ruskin Crown Wild Olive Pref. 21 Every separately Christian-named portion of the ruinous heap [of the slain]. |
7. Christian era: the era reckoned from the accepted date of the birth of Christ, and adopted in all Christian countries.
| 1657 Wharton Wks. (1683) 49 The Greek Church numbereth from the Creation to Christ's æra, 5508 complete years..The year 1657, current of the Christian æra. 1777 Robertson Hist. Amer. (1778) I. i. 10 About six hundred and four years before the Christian æra. 1875 Jowett Plato III. 524 In the first centuries of the Christian era. |
B. n.
1. a. One who believes or professes the religion of Christ; an adherent of Christianity.
| 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 1 The lyfe of euery chrystian..is as a pilgrymage. 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) Acts xi. 26 So that the disciples were at Antioche first named Christians [earlier versions Christen; Wyclif 1388 Cristen men]. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iii. i. 66 If a Iew wrong a Christian, what is his humility, reuenge? 1611 Bible 1 Pet. iv. 16 If any man suffer as a Christian [so Rhem. 1582, earlier versions Christen]. 1777 Robertson Hist. Amer. (1783) III. 273 Descent from a family of Old Christians, untainted with any mixture of Jewish or Mahometan blood. 1844 Kinglake Eöthen xxvii, The..exultation with which he saw a fellow Christian stand level with the imperious Mussulmans. 1876 Green Short Hist. i. §3 The Northumbrian peasantry..were..Christians only in name. |
† b. even Christian: fellow-Christian; also collectively, fellow-Christians. Obs. See even-.
2. One who exhibits the spirit, and follows the precepts and example, of Christ; a believer in Christ who is characterized by genuine piety.
| 1529 More Dial. Heresy iv. Wks. 257/2 Being faithful christiens. 1611 Bp. Hall Serm. iii, Impress of God, It is reason that makes us men; but it is holiness that makes us Christians. 1742 Young Nt. Th. iv. 788 A Christian is the highest style of man. 1850 Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xxvii, I's willin' to lay down my life..to see mas'r a Christian. 1882 Farrar Early Chr. II. 500 To be a Christian is to act as Christ acted. |
3. a. colloq. and dial. A human being, as distinguished from a brute. [A common sense in the Romanic langs.] b. colloq. or slang. A ‘decent’, ‘respectable’, or ‘presentable’ person.
| 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. iii. i. 272 Shee hath more qualities then a Water-Spaniell, which is much in a bare Christian. 1601 ― Twel. N. i. iii. 89 Mee thinkes..I haue no more wit then a Christian, or an ordinary man ha's. 1714 Shaftesbury Charact. (1732) III. 88 The very word Christian is, in common Language, us'd for Man, in opposition to Brute-beast, without leaving so much as a middle place for the poor Heathen or Pagan. a 1732 Gay Reh. Goatham i, When the Corporation feast is at our house..one would methinks appear a little like a Christian. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones xii. iii, A fitter food for a horse than a Christian. 1818 Scott Leg. Montrose xi, [The] sagacious quadruped..walked in and out of the boat with the discretion of a Christian. 1844 Dickens Mart. Chuz. xxxiv, You must take your passage like a Christian; at least, as like a Christian as a fore-cabin passenger can. 188. Chester, Leicester, Sheffield, W. Som. Gloss. (E.D.S.), Christian, a human being, as opposed to a dumb animal. ‘That dog is as cunning as a Christian’. |
4. Used as a denominational or sectarian name.
Pronounced chrīstian, it was assumed as a title by a sect which arose in America. Among the names of religious societies in England and Wales certified to the Registrar General occur ‘Bible Christians’, ‘Christians owning no name but the Lord Jesus’, and ‘Christians who object to be otherwise designated’.
| 1818 S. Luckey Defence Doctr. Trinity Pref. 5 A new sect of people who called themselves Chrī-stians. 1860 Bartlett Dict. Amer., Christian with first i long, a name assumed by a sect which arose from the great revival in 1801. 1868 Churchman (Hartford, Ct.) 6 June, Baptists, Methodists, Unitarians of both schools, Christ-ians, Universalists. |
† 5. a. A variety of pear; ? = bon-chrétien; also a variety of plum. Obs.
| 1649 Selden Laws Eng. ii. vi. (1739) 32 Like a Christian, that seldom endures long after his full ripeness [note, He means the Pear, so called]. 1655 Moufet & C. Bennet Health Improv. (1746) 308 The least nourishing [Plums].. are Bullices, Christians, Prunella's, Skegs and Horse-Plums. 1885 Barnes Dorset Dial., Cristen, a small kind of plum. 1888 W. Somerset Gl., Cristing. |
b. Comb. (a) Parasynthetic, as Christian-minded a., and derivatives as Christian-mindedness n. (b) Christian-wise adv., in a Christian way.
| 1880 Blackmore Erema xlix. (Hoppe), A selfishness..by no means Christian-minded. 1856 J. W. Warter Southey Lett. II. 292 In what way Southey wished the Catechism taught..not parrotwise, but Christianwise. |