Meanings
- An astrology-based, middle-platonic mystery religion of the 1st-4th century Roman Empire that claimed to have been founded by Zoroaster, admitted only men, and was especially popular among the Roman military.
"Confirmation is mithraism. So is baptism, only it was blood instead of water. As to the sacrificial meal..." Mason put his fingers in his ears.
1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 20191 more example
It has left many monuments of itself here in Britain. At Rome the worship was extremely popular, and it may almost be said to have been a matter of chance whether Mithraism should overwhelm Christianity, or whether the younger religion by adopting many of the rites of the older one should establish itself (as it did) in the face of the latter.
1920, Edward Carpenter, Pagan and Christian Creeds, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., published 1921, page 41
Synonyms & antonyms
nounancient Persian religion; popular among Romans during first three centuries a.d.
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Frenchmithriacisme
- EnglishMithraism
Translation (1903) of French mithriacisme, as used in 1899 by Franz Cumont as shorthand for "mystères de Mithra". Cumont was convinced that Mithraism was "Roman Mazdaism", hence his (and earlier) treatments of Latin Mithras and Avestan Mithra as synonyms, and the continuing de-inflection of the Latin name (vocative) as French Mithra.
More words from French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch mithraïsme
- mithraïsmean ancient mystery cult
French mithraïsme
- mithraïsmean ancient mystery cult
German Mithraskult, Mithraismus
- Mithraskultan ancient mystery cult
- Mithraismusan ancient mystery cult
Greek μιθραϊσμός
- μιθραϊσμός (mithraïsmós)an ancient mystery cult
Italian mitraismo
- mitraismoan ancient mystery cult
Polish mitraizm
- mitraizman ancient mystery cult
Portuguese mitraísmo
- mitraísmoan ancient mystery cult
Romanian mithraism
- mithraisman ancient mystery cult
Spanish mitraísmo
- mitraísmoan ancient mystery cult
Welsh Mithräeth
- Mithräethan ancient mystery cult
Cite this entry
Mithraism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Mithraism
“Mithraism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Mithraism. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Mithraism,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Mithraism.
Source: Mithraism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.