Anglicanorum

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A historical term referring to a specific group of churches within the Anglican tradition that have adopted Catholic practices
2. Denoting the ecclesiastical communities that seek to merge Anglican and Catholic beliefs
3. Pertaining to the unique rites and liturgical practices observed by those Anglican congregations in union with the Roman Catholic Church

Etymology: "Anglicanorum" is the genitive plural of the Latin "Anglicanus," meaning "of the English," with the root "Anglus" referring to the Angles, one of the Germanic peoples who settled Britain. The term entered Latin usage as a formal adjective and was carried into modern English through church Latin, where it gained a specific ecclesiastical role. The word's current sense is recent. It is most closely tied to Pope Benedict XVI's 2009 apostolic constitution "Anglicanorum Coetibus," which created a structure allowing groups of former Anglicans to enter full communion with Rome while keeping elements of their liturgical heritage. The Latin phrase "Anglicanorum Coetibus" translates roughly as "groups of Anglicans," and "anglicanorum" in this context means "of Anglicans," so the rites themselves take their name from the people they serve. The English adjective "Anglican" has a longer history, dating from the 17th century to describe the Church of England and its members, which is why the Latin form now carries a deliberately narrow meaning.