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Glite Dictionary
to Christianize

to Christianize

1 7.7
To make people or places follow Christianity
  • verb
  • /ˈkrɪsʧəˌnaɪz/
translation icon : cristianizar
  • But Eirik's wife was converted, and the colonists were Christianized soon after Iceland officially accepted Christianity around the year 1000.
  • civilize and Christianize
  • Christianized pagan
  • Christianized Indians

And so again, I went from this Celtic festival to a Pope wanting to Christianize a a holiday.

Examples

  • The missionaries worked tirelessly to Christianize the local tribes and share their beliefs.

  • Medieval communities also Christianized pagan artworks through recarving or additions such as inscribed crosses.

    Academic text (2005)

  • And so again, I went from this Celtic festival to a Pope wanting to Christianize a a holiday.

    Dr. Josh Axe

  • After the Indians got Christianized, they lost that.

    Academic text (2016)

  • But, worried by non-Christian roots, they Christianize these practices.

    Academic text (2018)

  • Instead of Christianizing a bunch of natives, now we've got the whole natural world to set in order!

    No Telling (1991)

  • Churches and crosses crown the surrounding mountains, indicating a thoroughly Christianized landscape.

    Academic text (2007)

  • The Paraca came into contact with the Xicaques, who had recently been Christianized by Espino.

    Academic text (2012)

  • By 1922, approximately one-third of the Kiowas were Christianized (Beaver 1988:453).

    Academic text (1994)

  • Many communities sought to Christianize their festivals, incorporating Christian symbols and traditions.

Synonyms

to convert
vsto Christianize
131 4.5

Change your religion, or persuade someone else to do this

is limited to changing people or places to follow Christian faith and influence
to proselytize
vsto Christianize
  • US
12 9.1

To try to persuade someone to join another religion

is aimed specifically at making people or places adopt Christian beliefs or character
to evangelize
vsto Christianize
3 7.7

Try to persuade people to become Christians by preaching

also covers changing groups or places to Christian character or influence
to missionize
vsto Christianize
8.4

To try to make people follow a religion

focuses specifically on creating Christian character or influence across places and people

How Christian

to convert
131 4.5
to Christianize
1 7.7
to catechize
  • Formal
1 9.9
to introduce
520 2.1

Surface Forms

Christianize infinitive
Christianized past
Christianized past participle
Christianizing present participle
Christianizes third person singular

Morphology

Christianize = Christian (transparent) = Christian + ize

A productive verb-forming suffix '-ize' adds the meaning 'make or become' to the adjective 'Christian', so the sense is directly derived.

Etymology

Christianize comes from Christian, meaning 'a follower of Christ', and the ending -ize, which means 'to make', as in modernize ('to make modern'). So to Christianize someone or something is to make them 'Christian' or to give them Christian beliefs or ways.