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Webster 1913 Edition

Catechumen

Cat′e-chuˊmen

,
Noun.
[L.
catechumenus
, Gr.
κατηχούμενοσ
instructed, from
κατηχεῖν
. See
Catechise
.]
(Eccl.)
One who is receiving rudimentary instruction in the doctrines of Christianity; a neophyte; in the primitive church, one officially recognized as a Christian, and admitted to instruction preliminary to admission to full membership in the church.

Webster 1828 Edition

Catechumen

CATECHUMEN

,
Noun.
One who is in the first rudiments of Christianity; one who is receiving instruction and preparing himself for baptism. These were anciently the children of believing parents, or pagans not fully initiated in the principles of the Christian religion. They were admitted to this state by the imposition of hands, and the sign of the cross.

Definition 2024

catechumen

catechumen

English

Noun

catechumen ‎(plural catechumens)

  1. A convert to Christianity under instruction before baptism; a young Christian preparing for confirmation.
    • 1963, Thomas Pynchon, V.:
      Here in this room an old man had killed and boiled a catechumen, had committed sodomy with a rat, had discussed a rodent nunhood with V., a future saint – depending which story you listened to.

Translations

Etymology

From Old French catéchumène or ecclesiastical Latin catechumenus, from Ancient Greek κατηχούμενος ‎(katēkhoúmenos, “being instructed”), present participle passive of κατηχέω ‎(katēkhéō, “sound through, instruct orally, catechise”), from κατά ‎(katá, “down”) + ἠχή ‎(ēkhḗ, “sound”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˌkæt.ɪˈkjuː.mɛn/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˌkæt.əˈkju.mən/

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