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catechism — a summary of the principles of Christian religion in the form of questions and answers, used for the instruction of Christians

Part of speech: NOUN

Definition: a summary of the principles of Christian religion in the form of questions and answers, used for the instruction of Christians

Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈkætəkɪzəm/

Example Sentences

  • Little Tommy memorized the entire catechism but still asked his mom if God needed to brush his teeth.
  • The job interview felt like a catechism with its endless predetermined questions.
  • She could recite the catechism perfectly but struggled to explain why pizza wasn't mentioned in the Bible.

catechism

NOUN

[/ˈkætəkɪzəm/]

a summary of the principles of Christian religion in the form of questions and answers, used for the instruction of Christians

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ˈkætəkɪzəm/
🇬🇧 UK/ˈkætəkɪzəm/

🌳Etymology

Rootcatech
Suffix--ism

Origin

The word derives from Greek 'katechizein', meaning 'to teach by word of mouth' or 'to instruct orally'. It originated from ancient Greek educational practices where teachers would pose questions aloud and students would learn by repetition and memorization through auditory instruction.

Breakdown

kata- (down, thoroughly) + echein (to sound, to echo) = to sound down or teach by oral repetition. The suffix -ism denotes a system or method of instruction.

🎵Rhyme

schism
prism
mechanism

🔗Collocations

study catechism
catechism class
Westminster catechism
recite catechism
catechism questions

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

“Little Tommy memorized the entire catechism but still asked his mom if God needed to brush his teeth.”

“The job interview felt like a catechism with its endless predetermined questions.”

😄 Fun example

“She could recite the catechism perfectly but struggled to explain why pizza wasn't mentioned in the Bible.”

“The priest used a simplified catechism to teach the fundamental beliefs to new members.”

📚Related Words

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