anabaptist

IPA/ˌænəˈbæptɪst/
KK[ˌænəbˈæptəst]IPA/ˌænəˈbæptɪst/

anabaptist — noun

1. a person who belonged to a radical Christian group in the 1500s that believed on

1.nounC1
Definition

a person who belonged to a radical Christian group in the 1500s that believed only adults should be baptized, that the church should be separate from the government, and that using violence is always wrong.

Example

In 1536, Menno Simons left the Catholic Church to join the Anabaptist movement in the Netherlands.

The Anabaptist belief that only adults should be baptized set them apart from other Christians.

belief that — defining clause

Common collocations
  • Anabaptist movement
  • Anabaptist community
  • early Anabaptist
  • radical Anabaptist
  • Anabaptist leader
Synonyms
  • radical reformer

    broader term that includes other non-mainstream Reformation groups, not only Anabaptists

  • believer's-baptism advocate

    descriptive phrase focusing on the core baptism practice, but rarely used as a standalone noun

Antonyms
  • paedobaptist

    someone who believes in baptizing infants rather than only adults

Grammar Patterns

the Anabaptist movement

Anabaptist + noun

early Anabaptist

Usage Note

This term is often capitalized because it refers to a specific historical religious group. Modern churches that trace their roots to the Anabaptist movement include the Mennonites, the Amish, and the Hutterites.

Common Mistakes

Anabaptists are the same as modern Baptists.
Anabaptists were 16th-century radicals; Baptists emerged later in 17th-century England as a separate movement.
Both groups practice adult baptism, but they have different historical origins and traditions.

Word family

  • Anabaptism
    nounC1
  • Anabaptistic
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While all three terms relate to Protestant Christianity, they refer to distinct groups. An Anabaptist was specifically a member of 16th-century radical movements that insisted on adult baptism and separation of church and state. A Mennonite is a direct descendant of the Anabaptist tradition, named after the leader Menno Simons, but refers to modern peaceful communities with distinct worship practices. A Baptist, despite also practicing believer's baptism, emerged independently in 17th-century England and does not share the Anabaptist commitment to nonviolence or the strict separation of church and state. Radical reformer is a broader umbrella that includes Anabaptists along with other non-mainstream Reformation figures such as the Spiritualists and anti-Trinitarians. For example: 'The Mennonite farmer welcomed visitors to his simple church, which traced its roots to the Anabaptist movement of the 1520s.' Versus: 'The Baptist preacher in London believed in adult baptism but did not share the Anabaptist view on pacifism.'

MennoniteBaptist ↗radical reformer

Common collocations

Nouns

  • Anabaptist movement
  • Anabaptist leader
  • Anabaptist community
  • Anabaptist tradition
  • Anabaptist church
  • Anabaptist group

Phrases

  • early Anabaptist
  • radical Anabaptist
  • German Anabaptist
  • modern Anabaptist

Prepositions

  • among Anabaptists
  • of the Anabaptists
  • in Anabaptist theology

Etymology

GreekLatinGermanEnglish

The word 'Anabaptist' comes from the Greek 'anabaptistēs' (ἀναβαπτιστής), which means 'one who baptizes again'. It is formed from 'ana-' (again) and 'baptizein' (to dip or wash). The term was first used as a label by opponents of the movement, who accused its members of re-baptizing people who had already received infant baptism in the Catholic or mainline Protestant churches. The word entered English through Latin and German during the Reformation period of the 16th century.