catechumen
English
WOTD – 16 October 2009
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
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˌkæt.ɪˈkjuː.mɛn/
Audio (UK) (file)
- (US) IPA(key): /ˌkæt.əˈkju.mən/
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.
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Derived terms
- catechumenal
- catechumenate
- catechumenist
Translations
convert to Christianity prior to baptism
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