Puritan
[ pyoo r-i-tn ]
/ ˈpyʊər ɪ tn /
noun
a member of a group of Protestants that arose in the 16th century within the Church of England, demanding the simplification of doctrine and worship, and greater strictness in religious discipline: during part of the 17th century the Puritans became a powerful political party.
(lowercase)
a person who is strict in moral or religious matters, often excessively so.
adjective
of or relating to the Puritans.
(lowercase)
of, relating to, or characteristic of a moral puritan; puritanical.
OTHER WORDS FROM Puritan
Example sentences from the Web for puritans
British Dictionary definitions for puritans (1 of 2)
puritan
/ (ˈpjʊərɪtən) /
noun
a person who adheres to strict moral or religious principles, esp one opposed to luxury and sensual enjoyment
adjective
characteristic of a puritan
Derived forms of puritan
puritanism, nounWord Origin for puritan
C16: from Late Latin
pūritās
purity
British Dictionary definitions for puritans (2 of 2)
Puritan
/ (in the late 16th and 17th centuries ˈpjʊərɪtən) /
noun
any of the more extreme English Protestants, most of whom were Calvinists, who wished to purify the Church of England of most of its ceremony and other aspects that they deemed to be Catholic
adjective
of, characteristic of, or relating to the Puritans
Derived forms of Puritan
Puritanism, nounCultural definitions for puritans
Puritans
A group of radical English Protestants that arose in the late sixteenth century and became a major force in England during the seventeenth century. Puritans wanted to “purify” the Church of England by eliminating traces of its origins in the Roman Catholic Church. In addition, they urged a strict moral code and placed a high value on hard work (see work ethic). After the execution of King Charles I in 1649, they controlled the new government, the Commonwealth. Oliver Cromwell, who became leader of the Commonwealth, is the best-known Puritan.
notes for Puritans
Many Puritans, persecuted in their homeland, came to America in the 1620s and 1630s, settling colonies that eventually became
Massachusetts. (
See
Pilgrims
and
Plymouth Colony.)
notes for Puritans
The words
puritan and
puritanical have come to suggest a zeal for keeping people from enjoying themselves.