catechumen

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English[edit]

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology[edit]

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[edit]

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

Noun[edit]

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[edit]

Translations[edit]