Meaning & use

catechism

noun·Advanced

A summary of religious doctrine, often written as a series of questions and answers, used to instruct believers.

See it in a sentence

Children in the parish memorized the catechism before their first communion.

The old catechism explained core beliefs through short questions a teacher would ask aloud.

A note on using this word

By extension, 'catechism' can describe any rigid set of questions and answers used to test or drill someone, even outside a religious context.

Words with a similar meaning

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