Christian

== English == === Alternative forms === christian (uncommon) Xtian (abbreviation) Xian (abbreviation, sometimes derogatory) === Etymology === From Middle English Cristien, from Old French chrestien, from Latin Chrīstiānus, from Ancient Greek Χρῑστιᾱνός (Khrīstiānós), from Χρῑστός (Khrīstós, “Christ, anointed [one]”) + Latin suffix -ānus. The older form is Christen. Doublet of cretin. By surface analysis, Christ +‎ -ian. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈkɹɪʃt͡ʃən/, /ˈkɹɪstiən/, /ˈkɹɪst͡ʃən/ Rhymes: -ɪstʃən Homophone: Cristian Hyphenation: Chris‧tian === Noun === Christian (plural Christians) A believer in Christianity. 1848, James Ford translating St. Augustine in The Gospel of St. Matthew, Illustrated from Ancient and Modern Authors, p. 46: The whole life of a good Christian is nothing else but a state of holy desire (sanctum desiderium). (nonstandard) An adherent of Christianity who is not a Catholic; a Protestant. A person who seeks to live his or her life according to the principles and values taught by Jesus Christ. 1526, William Bonde, Preface to Pylgrimage of Perfection: Ye lyfe of euery christian, is as a pilgremage. (obsolete, England) A European, especially though not necessarily of the Christian religion. ==== Synonyms ==== Thesaurus:Christian ==== Hypernyms ==== religionist, theist, monotheist, Abrahamist, People of the Book ==== Hyponyms ==== ==== Coordinate terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== → Burmese: ခရစ်ယာန် (hka.racyan) → Cebuano: Christian → Cheyenne: E'óoestaáhe → Hindi: क्रिश्चियन (kriściyan) → Japanese: クリスチャン → Korean: 크리스천 (keuriseucheon) → Malay: Kristian → Marshallese: Kūrjin → Shan: ၶရိတ်ႉယၢၼ်ႇ (khǎ rḭ̂t yàan) → Thai: คริสเตียน (krít-sà-dtiian) ==== Translations ==== === Proper noun === Christian (countable and uncountable, plural Christians) A male given name from Ancient Greek found in England since the twelfth century. A female given name from Ancient Greek of medieval usage, rare today. A surname originating as a patronymic. An unincorporated community in Logan County, West Virginia, United States. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== (feminine forms): Christiana, Christina, Christine ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === Christian (comparative more Christian, superlative most Christian) (not comparable) Of, like or relating to Christianity or Christians. (nonstandard, not comparable) Of, like or relating to Protestant Christians. (not comparable) Of, like or relating to Jesus Christ. Kind, charitable; moral; a term of approbation. ==== Usage notes ==== Use of the term “Christian” in the generalised approbative sense “kind, moral” may be displeasing to some non-Christians. ==== Synonyms ==== (kind): charitable, helpful, kind, neighborly/neighbourly, sweet (informal) ==== Antonyms ==== (antonym(s) of “of or relating to Christianity or Christians”): agnostic, atheist, heathen, non-Christian, pagan (antonym(s) of “charitable, moral”): corrupt, immoral, improper, unjust, savage, sinful ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === See also === === Anagrams === Christina, trichinas == Cebuano == === Etymology === From English Christian, from Latin Chrīstiānus, from Ancient Greek Χρῑστιᾱνός (Khrīstiānós), from Χρῑστός (Khrīstós, “Christ, anointed one”). === Proper noun === Christian a male given name from English [in turn from Latin, in turn from Ancient Greek] == Danish == === Alternative forms === Kristian === Etymology === From Latin Chrīstiānus. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈkʰʁɛsd̥jan] === Proper noun === Christian c a male given name ==== Usage notes ==== Traditionally popular in Denmark, as the name of ten ruling kings since the fifteenth century. ==== Related terms ==== (male given names): Carsten, Chresten, Chris, Christen, Karsten, Kresten, Kristen (female given names): Christine, Kirstine, Kristine (surnames): Christiansen, Kristiansen, Christensen, Kristensen === References === [8] Danskernes Navne, based on CPR data: 146 350 males with the given name Christian (compared to 72 098 named Kristian) have been registered in Denmark between about 1890 (=the population alive in 1967) and January 2005, with the frequency peak in the 19th century. Accessed on 19 June 2011. == French == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /kʁis.tjɑ̃/ === Proper noun === Christian m a male given name, feminine equivalent Christiane, Christine, or Christelle, equivalent to English Christian == German == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈkʀɪsti̯an] Hyphenation: Chris‧ti‧an === Proper noun === Christian m a male given name, feminine equivalent Christiane, Christina, or Christine ==== Related terms ==== Carsten, Karsten == Norwegian Bokmål == === Alternative forms === Kristian === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin Christianus (“Christian; follower of Christ”), from Ancient Greek Χριστιανός (Khristianós, “Christian; follower of Christ”), ultimately from Ancient Greek Χριστός (Khristós, “Christ; the anointed one”). The word was originally an appellation for followers of Christ before becoming a personal name. First attested in the 14th century in Norway. Compare Danish Christian, Swedish Christian, German Christian and English Christian. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈkrɪst.jan/ Rhymes: -ɪstjan Homophone: Kristian Hyphenation: Chris‧ti‧an === Proper noun === Christian a male given name from Latin [in turn from Ancient Greek], equivalent to English Christian ==== Usage notes ==== The Norwegian name day for Christian is 14 May, shared with Kristian, Karsten and Kristen. The spellings Christian and Kristian were both very common in Norway during the second half of the 19th century and rose in popularity again during the late 20th century. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Statistics ==== According to Statistics Norway, 14,344 men in Norway had Christian as their sole or first given name as of 1 January 2026. === References === “Christian – mannsnamn” in Store norske leksikon. “Christian” at Nordic Names. === Anagrams === Christina == Old French == === Proper noun === Christian m (nominative singular Christians) a male given name, equivalent to English Christian == Swedish == === Proper noun === Christian c (genitive Christians) a male given name, variant of Kristian === References === Roland Otterbjörk: Svenska förnamn, Almqvist & Wiksell 1996, →ISBN [9] Statistiska centralbyrån and Sture Allén, Staffan Wåhlin, Förnamnsboken, Norstedts 1995, →ISBN: 36,914 males with the given name Christian (compared to 14,967 named Kristian) living in Sweden on December 31st, 2010, with the frequency peak in the 1980s. Accessed on 19 June 2011. === Anagrams === Christina