Christendom

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Christendom \Chris"ten*dom\, n. [AS. cristend[=o]m; cristen a
     Christian + -dom.]
     1. The profession of faith in Christ by baptism; hence, the
        Christian religion, or the adoption of it. [Obs.] --Shak.
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     2. The name received at baptism; or, more generally, any name
        or appelation. [Obs.]
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              Pretty, fond, adoptious christendoms. --Shak.
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     3. That portion of the world in which Christianity prevails,
        or which is governed under Christian institutions, in
        distinction from heathen or Mohammedan lands.
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              The Arian doctrine which then divided Christendom.
                                                    --Milton
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              A wide and still widening Christendom. --Coleridge.
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     4. The whole body of Christians. --Hooker.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Christendom
       n : the collective body of Christians throughout the world and
           history (found predominantly in Europe and the Americas
           and Australia); "for a thousand years the Roman Catholic
           Church was the principal church of Christendom" [syn: {Christianity}]