Cathar
[ kath-ahr ]
/ ˈkæθ ɑr /
noun, plural Cath·a·ri [kath-uh-rahy] /ˈkæθ əˌraɪ/, Cath·ars.
(in medieval Europe) a member of any of several rigorously ascetic Christian sects maintaining a dualistic theology.
Also called
Cath·a·rist
[kath-er-ist] /ˈkæθ ər ɪst/.
Origin of Cathar
1630–40; < Late Latin
Catharī (plural) < Late Greek
hoi Katharoí Novatians, literally, the pure; applied in ML to various sects
OTHER WORDS FROM Cathar
Cath·a·rism, noun Cath·a·ris·tic, adjectiveExample sentences from the Web for cathar
Cathar′sis, evacuation of the bowels; Cathart′ic, a purgative medicine; Cathar′tin, the purgative principle of senna.
Here seems to belong in the order of development the Cathar Eucharist (see Cathars).
British Dictionary definitions for cathar
Cathar
Catharist (ˈkæθərɪst)
/ (ˈkæθə) /
noun plural -ars, -ari (-ərɪ) or -arists
a member of a Christian sect in Provence in the 12th and 13th centuries who believed the material world was evil and only the spiritual was good
Derived forms of Cathar
Catharism, nounWord Origin for Cathar
from Medieval Latin
Cathari, from Greek
katharoi the pure