Meanings
plural catechumens
- A student of Christian doctrine who studies it for the purpose of adopting it: either a convert to Christianity under instruction before baptism or a young or recent Christian preparing for confirmation.
Here in this room an old man had killed and boiled a catechumen, had committed sodomy with a rat, had discussed a rodent nunhood with V., a future saint – depending which story you listened to.
1963, Thomas Pynchon, V.
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna new convert being taught the principles of Christianity by a catechist
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Ancient Greekκατηχούμενος“being instructed”
- Ecclesiastical Latincatēchūmenus
- Middle Frenchcathecumin
- Middle Englishcathecumynys pl
- Englishcatechumen
From Middle English cathecumynys pl, from Middle French cathecumin (modern French catéchumène) or Ecclesiastical Latin catēchūmenus, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek κατηχούμενος (katēkhoúmenos, “being instructed”), present participle passive of κατηχέω (katēkhéō, “sound through, instruct orally, catechise”), from κατά (katá, “down”) + ἠχή (ēkhḗ, “sound”).
More words from Middle English, Middle French, Ecclesiastical Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian новопокръстен
- новопокръстен (novopokrăsten)convert to Christianity prior to baptism
Catalan catecumen, catecúmena
- catecumenconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
- catecúmenaconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
Chinese Mandarin 望教的人, 望教者
- 望教的人 (wàngjiào de rén)convert to Christianity prior to baptism
- 望教者 (wàngjiàozhě)convert to Christianity prior to baptism
- 慕道友 (mùdàoyǒu)convert to Christianity prior to baptism
- 慕道者 (mùdàozhě)convert to Christianity prior to baptism
Danish katekumen
- katekumenconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
Dutch catechumeen, doopleerling
- catechumeenconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
- doopleerlingconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
Esperanto kateĥumeno, kateĥumenino
- kateĥumenoconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
- kateĥumeninoconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
- katekumenoconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
- katekumeninoconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
Finnish katekumeeni
- katekumeeniconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
French catéchumène
- catéchumèneconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
German Katechumene, Katechumenin
- Katechumeneconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
- Katechumeninconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
- Taufbewerberconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
- Taufbewerberinconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
Indonesian katekumen
- katekumenconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
Italian catecumeno, catecumena
- catecumenoconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
- catecumenaconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
Japanese 求道者, 洗礼志願者
- 求道者 (kyūdōsha)convert to Christianity prior to baptism
- 洗礼志願者 (senrei shigan-sha)convert to Christianity prior to baptism
Latin catēchūmenus, catēchūmena
- catēchūmenusconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
- catēchūmenaconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
Norwegian Bokmål katekumen
- katekumenconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
Polish katechumen, katechumenka
- katechumenconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
- katechumenkaconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
Portuguese catecúmeno, catecúmena
- catecúmenoconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
- catecúmenaconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
Russian новообращённый, новообращённая
- новообращённый (novoobraščónnyj)convert to Christianity prior to baptism
- новообращённая (novoobraščónnaja)convert to Christianity prior to baptism
Spanish catecúmeno, catecúmena
- catecúmenoconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
- catecúmenaconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
Swahili mkatekumeni
- mkatekumeniconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
Swedish katekumen
- katekumenconvert to Christianity prior to baptism
Cite this entry
catechumen. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catechumen
“catechumen.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catechumen. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “catechumen,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catechumen.
Source: catechumen on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.