What does "catechism" mean?
A book, in question and answer form, summarizing the basic principles of Christianity.
noun ·Moderate ·College level
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"...the walls were covered with paper, whose original colour and pattern had long since merged in a dingy brown; over this were hung up some unframed drawings, and some shelves on which were ranged all the old school books, grammars, Pinnock's catechisms, and one or two French novels that had belonged to a former governess."
""I don’t care about that right now; I would rather (if you please) learn from my Catechism about the Lord's Day." "As you like.""
A book, in question and answer form, summarizing the basic principles of Christianity.
Common synonyms include: articles of religion, bone of contention, credenda, credo, creed, cross question.
"I don’t care about that right now; I would rather (if you please) learn from my Catechism about the Lord's Day." "As you like."
Pronounced /ˈkætɪˌkɪzəm/.
From Late Latin catechismus, from Ancient Greek *κατηχισμός (*katēkhismós), from κατηχίζω (katēkhízō, “to catechize”), a later extended form of κατηχέω (katēkhéō, “to catechize, instruct, teach by word of mouth”), from κατά (katá, “down”) + ἠχέω (ēkhéō, “to sound, resound”).