Anabaptists
|an-a-bap-tists|
/ˌænəˈbæptɪsts/
(Anabaptist)
rebaptizer; advocate of adult (believer's) baptism
Etymology
'Anabaptist' originates from New Latin, specifically the word 'Anabaptista', where 'ana-' meant 'again' and 'baptizare'/'baptizein' meant 'to dip or baptize'.
'Anabaptist' changed from the Greek elements 'ana-' + 'baptizein' to the Late Latin/ New Latin term 'Anabaptista', passed into German as 'Anabaptist', and was adopted into modern English as 'Anabaptist'.
Initially, it meant 'one who baptizes again (a rebaptizer)', but over time it evolved into the name for the 16th-century movement and its modern descendants, i.e., members of groups tracing their roots to that movement.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
members of a 16th-century Protestant movement (the Anabaptists) who rejected infant baptism and practiced or advocated baptism only for believing adults; often associated with radical Reformation beliefs and communal practices.
Anabaptists were persecuted during the Reformation for refusing to baptize infants.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
members or descendants of modern Christian groups tracing their origins to the Anabaptist movement (for example, some Mennonite, Amish, and Hutterite communities).
Many groups that identify historically with Anabaptists, such as the Amish, emphasize plain living and adult baptism.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/21 04:14