catechumen
A convert to Christianity under instruction before baptism; a young or recent Christian preparing for confirmation.
Noun
- A convert to Christianity under instruction before baptism; a young or recent Christian preparing for confirmation.
- 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. - 1963, Thomas Pynchon,...
Origin
From Middle English cathecumynys pl, from Middle French cathecumin (modern French catéchumène) or Ecclesiastical Latin catēchūmenus, 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”).
Forms
Derived
catechumenal catechumenate catechumenism catechumenist catechumenship