fundamentalist
fundamentalist Lexical Profile
fundamentalist Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Relating to or characterized by strict, literal adherence to the basic principles and texts of a religion or ideology.
"The scholar published a detailed comparative study of fundamentalist movements across different world religions."
• noun
A person who upholds belief in the strict, literal interpretation of scripture or the foundational tenets of a religion.
"Early twentieth-century religious fundamentalists debated modernists over the teaching of evolutionary biology in public schools."
A strict adherent to the foundational doctrines or unyielding rules of any non-religious ideology, discipline, or field.
"As a constitutional fundamentalist, the judge insisted on interpreting the law strictly according to the framers' original text."
Word Nuance & Usage
While originally adopted as a neutral or positive self-designation by early 20th-century American Protestants, the word often carries a critical or pejorative connotation in modern usage when applied to groups perceived as dogmatic or intolerant.
• Rhymes for fundamentalist
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the United States around 1920 from "fundamental" + "-ist," originally referring to conservative Protestant Christians who championed the theological tracts titled "The Fundamentals" (1910–1915) against modernist biblical criticism.