Christianity

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, emphasizing faith, salvation, and love
2. A major world religion centered around the belief in Jesus as the Messiah, focusing on principles of faith, redemption, and the moral teachings conveyed in the Bible
3. This faith advocates for a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, highlighting concepts of grace, community, and the importance of spreading love and compassion

Etymology: The name runs back to a Greek nickname. In Antioch, the followers of Jesus were called "Christianoi," a Greek formation built from "Christos," meaning "anointed one," the translation of the Hebrew "Messiah." The Greek ending "-ianos" signals "belonging to" or "adherent of," so the earliest sense was roughly "partisans of the Anointed." The name began as an outsider's label before believers adopted it. The abstract noun came later, built by adding the Latin suffix "-itas" (the source of English "-ity") to "christianus." Medieval Latin writers used "christianitas" to mean the whole community of Christian believers, a sense that could be political as well as spiritual. That is why the word often carried the idea of a people or realm, not just a set of beliefs. English took the term through Old French "crestienté" and entered Middle English in the form "Cristiente." Early modern writers then respelled it to match the Latin "Christianitas," which is why the modern form looks more Latinate than its medieval ancestor.

Synonyms: faith, religion, belief