# Christian

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkɹɪʃt͡ʃən/ · frequency rank #1,391

## Definitions
1. A believer in Christianity.
2. A believer in Christianity.
3. A person who seeks to live his or her life according to the principles and values taught by Jesus Christ.
4. A European, especially though not necessarily of the Christian religion.

## Etymology
From Middle English Cristien, from Old French chrestien, from Latin Chrīstiānus, from Ancient Greek Χρῑστιᾱνός (Khrīstiānós), from Χρῑστός (Khrīstós, “Christ, anointed [one]”) + Latin suffix -ānus. The older form is Christen. Doublet of cretin. By surface analysis, Christ + -ian.

## Easily confused with
- **Christie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/christian-vs-christie)
- **Cristian** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/christian-vs-cristian)
- **Christmas** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/christian-vs-christmas)
- **Christine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/christian-vs-christine)
- **Christina** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/christian-vs-christina)
- **Christiana** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/christian-vs-christiana)
- **Christa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/christa-vs-christian)
- **christen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/christen-vs-christian)

## Common misspellings (13)
`cchristian`, `chhristian`, `chirstian`, `chrisitan`, `chrisstian`, `christain`, `christiann`, `christtian`, `chritsian`, `chrristian`, `chrsitian`, `crhistian`, `hcristian`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/christian