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catechumen

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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WOTD – 16 October 2009
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Etymology

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From Middle English cathecumynys pl, from Middle French cathecumin (modern French catéchumène)[1] or Ecclesiastical Latin catēchūmenus,[2] itself a borrowing 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

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Noun

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catechumen (plural catechumens)

  1. A convert to Christianity under instruction before baptism; a young or recent 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.

Derived terms

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Translations

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References

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  1. ^ “catechumen, n.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
  2. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2025) “catechumen (n.)”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
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