Puritan
/ˈpjʊr.ɪ.tən/noun
A member of a 16th- and 17th-century English Protestant movement that sought to purify the Church of England; later, a person with very strict moral views.
Did you know?Puritan was originally a label for people who wanted to “purify” the Church, and the word itself was used by opponents before it became a historical identity.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
English
Puritan
“A term for English Protestants who wanted to further reform and purify the Church of England.”
16th Century
English
pure
“Clean, unmixed, or morally untainted.”
Old French
French
pur
“Pure, clean, unadulterated.”
Latin
Latin
purus
“Clean, clear, unmixed.”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peh₂-
“To purify, cleanse, or make clean.”