religious

1 of 2

adjective

re·​li·​gious ri-ˈli-jəs 

1

: relating to or manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity

a religious person

religious attitudes

2

: of, relating to, or devoted to religious beliefs or observances

joined a religious order

3

a

: scrupulously and conscientiously faithful

b

: fervent, zealous

religiously adverb

religiousness noun

religious

2 of 2

noun

plural religious

: a member of a religious order under monastic vows

Synonyms

Adjective

• devotional
• sacred
• spiritual

Example Sentences

Adjective

My religious beliefs forbid the drinking of alcohol.

Religious leaders called for an end to the violence.

His wife is very active in the church, but he's not religious himself.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

These, in turn, depended on healthy communities and institutions like the family, schools, neighborhoods, unions, local governments and religious and ethnic groups. —Robert D. Mcfadden, New York Times, 1 June 2023

The youngest of nine children, she had been raised in a religious cult in rural Washington and moved to Klamath Falls with her family at age 9, Schwartz said. —oregonlive, 1 June 2023

Iraqi Minister of Culture,Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Fakak al-Badrani, himself a native Moslawi, addressed the overflowing audience of local civic and religious leaders, alongside Iraqi and international media, and noted the project’s symbolic importance for the city, the nation and the world. —Dr. Richard Kurin, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 May 2023

There’s no admission fee, no dogs, no politics and no religious orders. —Anchorage Daily News, 29 May 2023

Both Nevada and Oklahoma on Thursday passed laws allowing Native American students to wear religious and cultural regalia at graduation ceremonies. —Jesse Bedayn, Fortune, 27 May 2023

But Erdogan has steadily pushed the nation into a more religious sphere, while seizing more autocratic powers. —Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2023

Sivas is intimately familiar with the consequences of incendiary rhetoric, as the site of a massacre in 1993 carried out by Sunni Muslim extremists on a gathering of intellectuals and artists who were members of Turkey’s Alevi religious minority. —Kareem Fahim, Washington Post, 27 May 2023

These political commentators, conservative politicians and religious legal groups have led the calls to boycott the companies while also supporting a historic wave of state legislation that seeks to restrict LGBTQ rights. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 26 May 2023

Noun

As a young religious, Bishop-elect Lombardo did missionary work in Bolivia and Honduras. —Laura Rodríguez Presa, chicagotribune.com, 11 Sep. 2020

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Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French religius, from Latin religiosus, from religio

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French religius, from religius, adjective

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing religious

• anti-religious
• inter-religious

• anti-religious
• inter-religious

Kids Definition

religious

1 of 2 adjective

re·​li·​gious ri-ˈlij-əs 

1

: devoted to God or to the powers or forces believed to govern life

a very religious person

2

: of or relating to religion

religious beliefs

3

: very devoted and faithful

performed his duties with religious regularity

religiously adverb

religiousness noun

religious

2 of 2 noun

plural religious

: a member of a religious order