Catechumen

//ˌkæt.əˈkju.mən// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A convert to Christianity under instruction before baptism; 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."

  2. 2
    a new convert being taught the principles of Christianity by a catechist wordnet

Etymology

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”).

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