Puritan
|pur-i-tan|
🇺🇸
/ˈpjʊrətən/
🇬🇧
/ˈpjʊərɪtən/
strict religious/moral purity
Etymology
'Puritan' originates from Early Modern English, ultimately from Late Latin 'puritanus', formed from Latin 'puritas' meaning 'purity' and 'purus' meaning 'pure'.
'Puritan' changed from Early Modern English usage (late 16th century) and was used to describe religious reformers; it entered Modern English with the same form 'Puritan' and the modern senses of the word developed in the 17th century.
Initially, it meant 'one seeking religious purity (especially in worship and doctrine)', but over time it broadened to include 'a person of strict moral views' and adjectival senses like 'strict or austere'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a member of a group of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who advocated strict moral and religious discipline and simplicity of worship.
Many of the early settlers in New England were Puritan, seeking a place to practice their beliefs.
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Noun 2
(informal) A person who has very strict moral views, especially about pleasure or behavior.
She's such a Puritan about drinking that she never drinks even at celebrations.
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Adjective 1
relating to the historical Puritans or their beliefs and practices.
The museum has an exhibit on Puritan religious practices.
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Adjective 2
characterized by strictness, austerity, or moral rigidity (similar to 'puritanical').
His Puritan approach to raising children left little room for play.
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Last updated: 2025/11/17 05:01