christian

noun

1. A believer in Christianity.

   “Shyl.... If a Iewe wrong a Christian, what is his humillity, reuenge? If a Christian wrong a Iewe, what should his sufferance be by Christian example, why reuenge? The villanie you teach me I will execute, and it shall goe hard but I will better the instruction.”

   “The whole life of a good Christian is nothing else but a state of holy desire (sanctum desiderium).”

   ““Mahatma Gandhi, I am very anxious to see Christianity naturalized in India, so that it shall be no longer a foreign thing identified with foreign people and a foreign government, but a part of the national life of India... What would you suggest that we do to make that possible?” He very gravely and thoughtfully replied: “I would suggest, first, that all of you Christians, missionaries and all, must begin to live more like Jesus Christ.””

   “[…]thousands of people have been killed in recent years in violence between Muslims and Christians, in Nigeria and Indonesia in particular, but on a lesser scale in other regions as well.”

   “In the year 144, the church declared Marcion of Sinope, a rich shipping magnate and part-time theologian, a heretic for declaring the God of the Hebrew scriptures to be inferior to the God of the New Testament. But despite this condemnation, popular Marcionism has continued ever since. You hear Christians lapse into it all the time with the lazy argument, "Oh, that's just the Old Testament", when confronted by the claim that the Bible is violent.”

2. (nonstandard)A believer in Christianity.

   “On the contrary, many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Christians and Catholics, including heterosexual allies of lesbians and gay Christians, of them, have voiced their opinions on the complicated issues of religion and sexuality.”

   “In South Korea, the Mingjung Theology inspired Christians and Catholics to question the legitimacy of the authoritarian regime.”

   “The point of emphasis here is the fact that many Igbo became Catholics or Christians not because they were convinced of the teachings and practice of Christianity but as a result of many factors.”

   “Catholics, Christians, Jews, Muslims, and any other dogma that you read about were warring, while fully in their deception from the Light of Truth.”

   “Another way Christians and Catholics are perceived as anti-homosexual is via institutional oppression.”

3. A person who seeks to live his or her life according to the principles and values taught by Jesus Christ.

   “Ye lyfe of euery christian, is as a pilgremage.”

   “The very word ‘Christianity’ is a misunderstanding—at bottom there was only one Christian, and he died on the cross.”

   “‘You’re riding for a fall, Healey, you know that? There are hedges and ditches ahead and you are on course for an almighty cropper.’ ‘Sir.’ ‘And I shall be cheering and laughing as you tumble,’ said Meddlar, his spectacles flashing. ‘That’s just the warm-hearted Christian in you, sir.’”

4. (England, obsolete)A European, especially though not necessarily of the Christian religion.
5. (alt-of, uncommon)Uncommon spelling of Christian.

   “[…] I ſtopt ſhort, and, pocketting my ducats in a great hurry, took out ſome rials, approached the hat, that was expoſed for the reception of charity extorted from chriſtians by fear, and dropt them into it, one after another, that the beggar might ſee how nobly I uſed him.”

   “Corinna then recollected, that in this very amphitheatre, the persecuted christians died victims of their perseverance, and shewing Lord Nelville the altars which are raised in honour of their ashes, as well as the path of the cross, which is trodden by penitents, at the foot of the most magnificent wrecks of worldly grandeur, asked him, if the ashes of martyrs conveyed no language to his heart?”

   “John 13th, invented the christening and blessing of bells, which ceremonies must certainly have rendered these noisey things, more sonorous and pleasing to the pious ear of a good christian.”

   “[…] a lector of water levels, most venerable Kevin, then effused thereby letting there be water where was theretofore dry land, by him so concreated, who now, confirmed a strong and perfect christian, blessed Kevin, exorcised his holy sister water, perpetually chaste, so that, well understanding, she should fill to midheight his tubbathaltar, which hanbathtub, most blessed Kevin, ninthly enthroned, […]”

   “The most isolated christian […] does not come to God like the pagan mystic, as the alone to the Alone.”

name

1. (countable, uncountable)A male given name from Ancient Greek found in England since the twelfth century.

   “Roughly 40 to 45 percent of Signature’s gynecomastia patients, says co-founder Christian Gotti, are users of Image- and Performance-Enhancing Drugs (IPEDs).”

2. (countable, uncountable)A female given name from Ancient Greek of medieval usage, rare today.
3. (countable, uncountable)A surname originating as a patronymic.
4. (countable, uncountable)An unincorporated community in Logan County, West Virginia, United States.

adj

1. (not-comparable)Of, like or relating to Christianity or Christians.
2. (nonstandard, not-comparable)Of, like or relating to Christianity or Christians.

   “While Christian churches allow lay believers in Jesus to do exorcism, Catholics limit the practice to selected priests.”

   “This is not to say that there is no discord within Christian and Catholic congregations on this issue.”

   “When asked whether they are Christian, some Catholics respond, “No. I am Catholic.” Many Catholics see the Christian question as an attempt to discover whether they have accepted Christ in a way that is more representative of a Protestant or evangelical experience. Saying, “No, I’m not Christian” can also be a way to assert a student’s distinctively Catholic identity, even though they know Catholics are Christian because they believe in Christ.”

3. (not-comparable)Of, like or relating to Jesus Christ.
4. Kind, charitable; moral; a term of approbation.

   “That’s very Christian of you.”

   “I cannot help thinking there are people in the world who are very tiresome, very impertinent, and very disagreeable; yet, I don’t think it would be a very Christian act were I to tell them so.”

   “I must say I have seen him do a very Christian act at the Fish River. Some Kafir women were there eating; he begged of them; they refused to give him any food. […] I gave him some of the victuals we were enjoying, and he instantly broke the bread, and gave of it to these very Kafir women who had just refused any of theirs.”

   ““Besides this,” said the trapper, “it is hardly a Christian act to leave these two men to perish by the hands of the savages[…]””

   “So, in his esteem, an auto da fé — an “act of faith,” as the words mean — is really an act of faith — an act of such faith as the author of “Ecce Homo” approves — a most Christian act — a most humane act[…]”

5. (alt-of, uncommon)Uncommon spelling of Christian.

   “When I employ myſelf upon a paper of morality, I generally conſider how I may recommend the particular virtue which I treat of, by the precepts or examples of the ancient heathens; by that means, if poſſible, to ſhame thoſe who have greater advantages of knowing their duty, and therefore greater obligations to perform it, into a better courſe of life: beſides that many among us are unreaſonably diſpoſed to give a fairer hearing to a pagan philoſopher, than to a chriſtian writer.”

   “She said, that sculpture was a pagan art, and painting a christian one; […]”

   “Now, we have no particular objection to this Santa Claus business, but will say what we have said before, that it is entirely overdone and a long ways from being proper in the so-called “christian America.””

   “The fall (bababadalgharaghtakamminarronnkonnbronntonnerronntuonnthunntrovarrhounawnskawntoohoohoordenenthurnuk!) of a once wallstrait oldparr is retaled early in bed and later on life down through all christian minstrelsy.”

   “Of all christian ‘ritual patterns’ that of the eucharist is by common consent central and most important.”