| protestant | One who protests; originally applied to those who adhered to Luther, and protested against, or made a solemn declaration of dissent from, a decree of the Emperor Charles V. And the Diet of Spires, in 1529, against the Reformers, and appealed to a general council; now used in a popular sense to designate any Christian who does not belong to the Roman Catholic or the Greek Church. Origin: F. Protestant, fr. L. Protestans, -antis, p. Pr. Of protestare. See Protest. 1. Making a protest; protesting. 2. Of or pertaining to the faith and practice of those Christians who reject the authority of the Roman Catholic Church; as, Protestant writers. Origin: Cf. F. Protestant. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| protestantism | The quality or state of being protestant, especially against the Roman Catholic Church; the principles or religion of the Protestants. Origin: Cf. F. Protestantisme. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |