Protestant
/ˈprɒt.ɪ.stənt/noun
A member of a Christian church that is separate from the Roman Catholic Church, following the principles of the Reformation.
Did you know?The term 'Protestant' originated from a protest against the Catholic Church at the Diet of Speyer in 1529, marking a pivotal moment in religious history.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
protestari
“to publicly declare or testify against”
15th Century
Early New High German
Protestant
“one who protests against the Catholic Church's practices”
16th Century
Latin
Protestantes
“those who publicly declared their dissent from Catholic doctrines”
16th Century
English
Protestant
“a term adopted for followers of reformed Christianity, marking a break from the Catholic Church”
Modern English
English
Protestant
“used to describe various denominations and movements within Christianity that emerged from the Reformation”