catechumen
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English
Etymology
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
Noun
catechumen (plural catechumens)
- 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
Translations
convert to Christianity prior to baptism
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