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Covenanter

Covenanter

9.9
A member of a 17th-century Scottish church group who opposed the king's control
  • noun
  • /ˈkʌvənˌæntər/
  • Archaic
translation icon : covenanter
  • Many Covenanters faced persecution for defending their faith in 17th-century Scotland.

Examples

  • Many Covenanters fought for their religious freedoms.

  • The Covenanter movement played a crucial role in Scottish history.

  • The Covenanter movement played a crucial role in shaping Scottish religious history.

  • As a proud Covenanter, he refused to accept the king's control over the church.

  • The Covenanters actively resisted attempts by the monarchy to impose religious reforms in 17th-century Scotland.

  • During the tumultuous years of the 1640s, many Covenanters gathered to defend their faith against royal authority.

  • As a Covenanter, he took a solemn oath to uphold the principles of Presbyterianism against any interference from the crown.

Synonyms

Presbyterian
vsCovenanter
7 6.3

A person who belongs to a Christian church led by elders

is a historical Scottish group member who resists royal interference

Surface Forms

Covenanter singular
Covenanters plural

Morphology

Covenanter = covenant (semi-transparent) = covenant + er

The agent-noun formation with -er is clear, but this sense refers to a specific 17th-century historical movement rather than a fully general 'one who covenants' meaning.

Etymology

Covenanter comes from covenant, which means 'formal agreement' or 'promise'. In 17th-century Scotland a Covenanter was someone who joined a religious covenant to defend the church against the king, so the name shows their promise to protect their faith.