Meaning & use
a fundie
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountableinformaldisapproving
Someone with very strict religious beliefs, especially a Christian who reads the Bible literally.
Grammar: Countable: you can say a fundie or two fundies; the usual spelling is fundie, and fundy is a less common variant.
Patterns
- a fundie
- the fundies
- some fundie
He grew up in a small town where everyone was either a fundie or an atheist.
My cousin calls himself a fundie, but he still goes to rock concerts.
She said her parents were fundies who didn't let her celebrate Halloween.
nouncountableinformaldisapproving
A person who follows any set of rules or ideas in an extremely strict way, not only religious ones.
Grammar: Used more broadly for people who are rigid about any belief system, often in a mocking way.
Patterns
- a fundie
- the fundies
He's a fitness fundie who won't eat anything with sugar in it.
The political fundies on both sides refused to compromise.
Don't be such a fundie about grammar; people still understood you.
Word forms
| plural | fundies |
|---|
Common combinations
- religious fundie
- Her uncle is a religious fundie who quotes the Bible all day.
- a bunch of fundies
- A bunch of fundies protested outside the concert.
- call someone a fundie
- You shouldn't call him a fundie just because he goes to church.
- fundie parents
- Her fundie parents wouldn't let her watch that movie.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fundamentalist
- This is the neutral, formal word; a fundie is the informal, often disapproving short form.
- zealot
- A zealot is extremely enthusiastic about a cause, while a fundie is specifically strict about religious or moral rules.
- extremist
- Extremist is stronger and often political; fundie is usually about religion and sounds more mocking than dangerous.
Opposites
Word family
- fundamentalism noun
- The strict belief system that a fundie follows.
- fundamentalist noun
- The standard word for a person with very strict religious beliefs.
Commonly confused: a fundie or fundy? a fundie or foodie?
a fundie vs fundy
Fundy is just a different spelling of the same informal word; it does not mean anything else.
a fundie vs foodie
A foodie loves good food, while a fundie is a strict religious person; the two words sound similar.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'fundie' in the most natural, informal way?
Choose one answer.
A fundie is a person with strict religious beliefs, so reading the Bible fits. The other options describe hobbies or jobs that have nothing to do with religion.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a fundie”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.