Paulist
/ˈpɔːlɪst/noun
A member of the Paulist Fathers, a Roman Catholic missionary society founded in the United States in the 19th century.
Did you know?Paulist comes from Paul, whose Latin name Paulus literally meant “small” or “little,” possibly functioning as an old Roman family name or nickname.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pau-
“Few, little, or small”
Classical Latin
Latin
paulus
“Small, little, or slight”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Paulos
“Paul; the Greek form of the Latin personal name Paulus”
Late Antiquity
Late Latin
Paulus
“The personal name Paul, associated especially with the apostle”
Early English
English
Paul
“The personal name adopted from Latin through Christian and French traditions”
19th Century
English
Paulist
“A member or follower of the Paulist movement; especially a member of the Paulist Fathers”