Religion & Belief

sacrifice C1

/ˈsæk.ɹɪˌfaɪs/ The act of giving up something valuable for the sake of something more important. M S

saint C1

/seɪnt/ A dead person officially recognised by a church as especially holy. M S

offering C1

/ˈɔfəɹɪŋ/ Something that is offered or made available, such as a product or service. M S

kirk C1

/kɜɹk/ a Scottish church M S

almighty C1

/ɔlˈmaɪti/ having unlimited power; omnipotent, especially as an epithet for God M S

prophet C1

/ˈpɹɑ.fɪt/ A person believed to speak on behalf of God and deliver religious messages M S

preacher C1

/ˈpɹit͡ʃɚ/ A person whose job is to give religious talks and lead worship. M S

rabbi C1

/ˈræb.aɪ/ a Jewish religious scholar and teacher qualified to interpret Jewish law M S

parish C1

/ˈpæɹɪʃ/ A local church district with its own church and priest. M S

shrine C1

/ʃraɪn/ a sacred place dedicated to a deity, saint, ancestor, relic, or other revered figure M S

preach C1

/ˈpriːtʃ/ To give a religious talk, especially in a church service. M S

resurrection C1

/ɹɛzəˈɹɛkʃən/ a revival from inactivity and disuse M S

congregation C1

/ˌkɑŋɡɹəˈɡeɪʃən/ A group of people gathered together for a religious service. M S

archbishop C1

/ˌɑɹtʃˈbɪʃəp/ a senior Christian bishop who leads an archdiocese or presides over a province of dioceses M S

chaplain C1

/ˈtʃæplɪn/ a member of the clergy or another religious representative appointed to serve an institution, group, or private household M S

baptism C1

/ˈbæptɪzəm/ a Christian sacrament or rite involving water that marks spiritual cleansing and admission to the Church M S

talisman C1

/ˈtælɪzmən/ an object believed to provide magical protection, good luck, health, or power M S

friar C1

/ˈfraɪɚ/ a male member of a Christian mendicant order, such as the Franciscans or Dominicans M S

papal C1

/ˈpeɪpəl/ relating to the pope, the papacy, or the pope's authority M S

devout C1

/dɪˈvaʊt/ deeply committed to a religion and its practices M S

confessor C1

/kənˈfɛsɚ/ a priest who hears confessions and grants or pronounces absolution M S

archangel C1

/ˈɑrkeɪndʒəl/ an angel of the highest or a particularly high rank in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic tradition M S

vigil C1

/ˈvɪd͡ʒəl/ a period of remaining awake to watch, guard, care for someone, or pray M S

rosary C1

/ˈɹoʊzəɹi/ a string of beads used for counting prayers, especially in Roman Catholic devotion M S

sanctity C1

/ˈsæŋktɪti/ The state of being holy or sacred. M S

theology C1

/θiˈɒ.lə.d͡ʒi/ The study of God, religion, and religious beliefs. M S

sacrificial C1

/ˌsækrəˈfɪʃəl/ relating to, offered in, or used for a religious or ritual sacrifice M S

devotee C1

/ˌdɛv.əˈtiː/ A person who is extremely enthusiastic about and devoted to something. M S

christen C1

/ˈkrɪs.ən/ to baptize someone in a Christian ceremony and formally give them a name M S

saintly C1

/ˈseɪntli/ resembling or befitting a saint in holiness, virtue, patience, or kindness M S

nunnery C1

/ˈnʌn(ə)ɹi/ a convent for nuns, or the buildings occupied by such a religious community M S

manna C1

/ˈmænə/ in the Book of Exodus, the food miraculously supplied to the Israelites during their journey through the wilderness M S

cherub C1

/ˈtʃɛrəb/ in Western art, an angel represented as a small, plump, winged child M S

evangelical C1

/iːvænˈd͡ʒɛlɪkəl/ relating to a Protestant Christian movement that emphasizes personal conversion, biblical authority, and preaching the gospel M S

mythic C1

/ˈmɪθɪk/ relating to, described in, or having the character of a myth M S

ecclesiastical C1

/əˌkli.ziˈæ.stə.kəl/ Of or pertaining to the church. M S

devotional C1

/dɪˈvoʊʃənəl/ relating to religious worship, prayer, or private devotion M S

mitre C1

/ˈmaɪtəɹ/ a tall ceremonial headdress worn by a bishop or certain other church dignitaries M S

ordination C1

/ˌɔːr.dənˈeɪ.ʃən/ the ceremony or process by which someone is officially made a priest, minister, or other religious leader M S

worshipper C1

/ˈwɝʃɪpɚ/ a person who worships a god, especially one attending a religious service M S

graveside C1

/ˈɡreɪv.saɪd/ the area immediately beside or around a grave M S

palmistry C1

/ˈpɑməstri/ the claimed practice of interpreting the lines and features of a person's palm to describe character or predict the future M S

immolate C1

/ˈɪm.ə.leɪt/ offer as a sacrifice by killing or by giving up to destruction M S

immolation C1

/ˈɪməˌleɪʃən/ the act of killing, sacrificing, or destroying by fire M S

heathenism C1

/ˈhiːðənˌɪzəm/ dated: beliefs or conduct regarded as non-Christian or irreligious M S

idolatry C1

/aɪˈdɑːlətri/ the worship of idols or physical objects as gods M S