Definition of fundamentalism
1a
often capitalized
: a movement in 20th century Protestantism emphasizing the literally interpreted Bible as fundamental to Christian life and teaching
b
: the beliefs of this movement
c
: adherence to such beliefs
a minister noted for his strict fundamentalism
2
: a movement or attitude stressing strict and literal adherence to a set of basic principles
Islamic fundamentalism political fundamentalism
Test Your Vocabulary
Which Word Does Not Belong?
-
- Which of these words does not mean "nonsense"?

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share fundamentalism
Time Traveler for fundamentalism
The first known use of fundamentalism was in 1912
See more words from the same year