Bible thumper

noun

A Christian fundamentalist or overzealous evangelical Christian.

Meanings

nounBible thumper (plural Bible thumpers)

plural Bible thumpers · alternative Bible-thumper

  1. derogatoryA Christian fundamentalist or overzealous evangelical Christian.

    The terms "Blue Light," "Holy Joe" and "Bible Thumper" began to lose some of their venom ; religion in the army was respected.

    1900 June 16, Joseph Paul, “Lord Roberts in Times of Peace”, in The Standard, volume 47, number 42, Chicago: Goodman & Dickerson, page 7
    2 more examples

    Zeal and knowledge have here a wide field ; the calm, thoughtful logician ; the cold, phlegmatic reasoner ; the cautious, pathetic pleader ; the shouting, stamping Bible thumper ; all have their mission, all have their followers and admirers...

    1870, J. Ashworth, “Old Ab'.”, in Strange Tales from Humble Life, Manchester: Tubbs and Brook, page 253

    But in spite of the antics of its Bible thumpers and its boobocracy, my father was unable to stay mad at the United States for long.

    1984, Anthony West, H.G. Wells: Aspects of a Life, London: Hutchinson, →ISBN, →OL, page 126

    Synonyms: Bible banger, Bible basher, Jesus freak, Christer, fundie

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA Christian fundamentalist or overzealous evangelical Christian.

Origin

Evoking the image of a vocal and zealous preacher, one who might literally thump a Bible for emphasis while preaching.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Bible thumper. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Bible%20thumper

MLA

“Bible thumper.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Bible%20thumper. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Bible thumper,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Bible%20thumper.

Source: Bible thumper on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.