religion
/rɪˈlɪdʒən/
noun
Origin
Latin
religare — to bind back or to tie fast
Overview
Meaning Now
- The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.
- A particular system of faith and worship.
- A pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance.
Literal older meaning
Re-binding or obligation
Language path
Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
religiun
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The etymology is famously debated. While most linguists support the 'religare' (to bind) derivation, some Roman authors like Lactantius proposed 'religare' (to re-read/re-gather) as in gathering up the threads of divine relationship. The term originally applied more to the scrupulous performance of religious rites than to a doctrinal system.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
religio
“obligation, bond, or reverence”
Often used to denote duty or scrupulousness in ritual observance.
- Late Latin
religionem
“monastic life or holiness”
Christian usage emphasized dedication to God.
- Old French
religiun
“monastic life or piety”
- Middle English
religion
“religious order or piety”
- Early Modern English
religion
“system of faith or belief”
Expansion to include non-Christian systems.
Connections
Word parts
re-
prefix
again or intensive
ligare
root
to bind
Related across languages
French
religion
Spanish
religión
religion
Italian
religione
religion
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.