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Meaning & use

Calvinistic

adjective·Advancedreligion

Last updated

UK/ˌkæl.vɪˈnɪs.tɪk/
US/ˌkæl.vəˈnɪs.tɪk/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparablereligion

    Relating to the Christian teachings of John Calvin, especially the belief that God chooses who will be saved.

    Grammar: Used before a noun (Calvinistic ideas) or after a linking verb (the church became Calvinistic).

    Patterns

    • Calvinistic theology
    • a Calvinistic church
    • Calvinistic ideas about something

    The college was founded on firmly Calvinistic principles.

    Her family belonged to a small Calvinistic church in the north.

    He wrote a book comparing Calvinistic and Catholic views of grace.

  2. adjectivecomparablereligiondisapproving

    Showing the strict, serious attitude toward work and pleasure that people often associate with Calvinism.

    Grammar: Often slightly critical; describes a person's outlook or habits rather than official beliefs.

    Patterns

    • a Calvinistic attitude
    • Calvinistic about something

    His Calvinistic attitude to holidays meant he never really relaxed.

    She had a Calvinistic sense that pleasure must be earned.

Word forms

comparativemore Calvinistic
superlativemost Calvinistic

Common combinations

Calvinistic theology
Calvinistic theology stresses God's sovereignty in salvation.
Calvinistic doctrine
The council rejected several Calvinistic doctrines.
a Calvinistic upbringing
A Calvinistic upbringing gave him a strong sense of duty.
strictly Calvinistic
The congregation remained strictly Calvinistic for generations.

Synonyms and how they differ

Reformed
Reformed is the broader, more official term for this tradition; Calvinistic is narrower and often used for Calvin's own emphases.
Puritan
Puritan refers to a historical movement that was often Calvinistic, but it adds a specific English and American historical context.
strict
Strict describes harsh discipline in general and does not carry the religious meaning.

Opposites

ArminianCatholic

Word family

Calvinism noun
the set of religious teachings based on John Calvin.
Calvinist noun
a follower of Calvin's teachings.
Calvinist adjective
another adjective form meaning the same as Calvinistic.
Calvin proper noun
the sixteenth-century reformer whose name these words come from.

Commonly confused: Calvinistic or Calvinist? Calvinistic or Lutheran?

Calvinistic vs Calvinist

Both are adjectives, but Calvinist is the shorter, more common form; Calvinistic is a little more formal and often used for attitudes rather than people.

Calvinistic vs Lutheran

Lutheran relates to Martin Luther's tradition, a different branch of the Protestant Reformation.

Practice

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