Meanings
- historicaluncountableCatholicismA powerful movement within the Roman Catholic Church in Germany in the latter part of the 18th century, directed towards the nationalizing of Catholicism, the restriction of the power of the papacy in favour of that of the episcopate, and the reunion of the dissident churches with Catholic Christendom.
Synonyms: Febronism
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA powerful movement within the Roman Catholic Church in Germany in the latter part of the 18th century, directed towards the nationalizing of Catholicism, the restriction of the power of the papacy in favour of that of the episcopate, and the reunion of the dissident churches with Catholic Christendom.
Origin
Derived from the pseudonym Justinus Febronius adopted by Johann Nikolaus von Hontheim, coadjutor bishop of Trier, in publishing his book De statu ecclesiae et legitima potestae Romani pontificis; + -ism.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
Febronianism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Febronianism
“Febronianism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Febronianism. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Febronianism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Febronianism.
Source: Febronianism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.