catechumen

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English

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Etymology

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Borrowed from 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).

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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