noun / adjective
puritan
PYOOR-ih-tuhn/ˈpjʊrɪtən/
A member of the Protestant movement to purify the English church.
A Puritan seeks to reform the Church of England.
Etymology
Puritan probably derives from purity. The name for religious reformers seeking purer doctrine or practice broadened to anyone regarded as excessively strict in religion or morals.
In context
Stubbes was a devout Puritan who decried Englishmen and women for living non-virtuous lives.
More examples
- Many Puritans settled in New England during the seventeenth century.
- The museum displays a Bible owned by a Puritan family.
- Puritan preachers urged their congregations to follow Scripture closely.
Forms
Puritan · Puritans
Puritanism noun — The beliefs and practices of the Puritan movement.
Similar words
- Protestant
- Protestant includes many Christian groups, not just English Puritans.