Anglican

1 of 2

adjective

An·​gli·​can ˈaŋ-gli-kən 

1

: of or relating to the established episcopal Church of England and churches of similar faith and order in communion with it

2

: of or relating to England or the English nation

Anglican noun

Anglicanism

ˈaŋ-gli-kə-ˌni-zəm 

noun

Anglicanism

2 of 2

noun

An·​gli·​can·​ism ˈaŋ-gli-ˌni-zəm 

plural -s

1

: the faith and order of the Anglican churches

also : adherence to the Anglican faith and order

2

usually capitalized : adherence or attachment to English attitudes and ways

an extremely civilized literary and theatrical Anglicanism

—John Gassner

Examples of Anglican in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

This Anglican example near Beaufort, South Carolina, was built in the 1740s, but was largely destroyed by a forest fire in 1886. — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 17 June 2026

But the pre-company cleaning frenzy is often mainly about the host, their own ego, and their own fears, Jack King, an Anglican priest, told me. — Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026

Nicholas Shrum, a doctoral student researching Latter-day Saint identity in America, says that some historians point out that Washington was an Anglican and not a weekly churchgoer. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 28 May 2026

In his writings, her husband celebrated her conversion to the Anglican faith. — Peter C. Mancall, The Conversation, 25 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Medieval Latin anglicanus, from anglicus English, from Latin Angli Angles

First Known Use

Adjective

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

Anglican

adjective

An·​gli·​can ˈaŋ-gli-kən 

: of or relating to the established Church of England

Anglican noun

Anglicanism

-kə-ˌniz-əm 

noun