Arian

1 of 2

adjective

Ar·​i·​an ˈa-rē-ən 

ˈer-ē-

: of or relating to the Christian priest Arius or his doctrines and especially the doctrine that the Son is not of the same substance as the Father but was created as an agent for creating the world

Arianism

ˈa-rē-ə-ˌni-zəm 

ˈer-ē-

noun

Arianism

2 of 2

noun

Ar·​i·​an·​ism ˈa-rē-ə-ˌni-zəm  ˈer-ē- 

ˈā-rē-

plural -s

1

: a theological movement initiated by Arius in opposition to Sabellianism that won strong support during the 4th century a.d. chiefly in the Eastern churches but that was condemned in general councils at Nicaea (a.d. 325) and Constantinople (a.d. 381), the doctrine being marked by the following principles: (1) God is absolutely alone, unknowable, and separate from every created being; (2) the Christ, the Logos or Son of God, preexistent but not eternally real, is a created being and so not God in the fullest sense, though as maker of all other creatures he may be regarded and worshiped as a secondary divinity; (3) in the incarnation the Logos assumed a body but not a human soul, and so Jesus Christ was neither truly God nor truly human compare anomoean , homoean

2

a

: Arian doctrine

b

: adherence to or advocacy of Arian doctrine

Word History

Etymology

Noun

arian + -ism

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Arian

• agrarian
• aquarian
• barbarian
• bavarian
• bulgarian
• cimmerian
• hungarian
• librarian
• ovarian
• riparian
• rotarian
• sectarian