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to catechize

to catechize

1 9.9
To ask questions and teach someone about religious beliefs
  • verb
  • /ˈkætɪˌkaɪz/
  • Formal
translation icon : catequizar
  • The priest will catechize the children using a standard set of questions and answers during Sunday school.
  • catechized well

A slave, a leper, or a beggar plays the role of mystagog, and a child may catechize another child, and it's a simple act.

Examples

  • William May of Kingston reported that he devoted part of his Wednesday and Friday to catechizing during that penitential season.

    Academic text (2007)
  • They sang the hymns, heard the sermons, and were catechized in the Illinois Algonquian language.

    Academic text (2001)
  • It was interesting to catechize a man my own age.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • One hopes that at some point you will be properly catechized.

    Blog text (13)
  • And so, on our trips, Jack catechized me in this doctrine of risk, cause and effect, suffering, and pain.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • If every single family catechized their own children, we would have a strong nation of clear thinkers.

    Blog text (20)
  • A well-catechized 10-year-old knows why your point is wrong.

    Blog text (13)
  • I was well catechized.

    Blog text (24)
  • Pedro, however, displayed deep faith and charity and continued to catechize his many converts, giving witness to Christ by a life of purity and dedication to the Gospel.

    Blog text (23)
  • Parents often catechize their children to help them understand their religious beliefs.

Synonyms

to enlighten
vsto catechize
  • Formal
13 6.8

To give someone deep spiritual understanding through teaching or practice

uses structured questions and answers to instruct about beliefs

How Thorough

to interrogate
  • Formal
142 6.5
to examine
  • Formal
53 3.1
to catechize
  • Formal
1 9.9
to quiz
16 2.3
question
1.0
to ask
1.0

Surface Forms

catechize infinitive
catechized past
catechized past participle
catechizing present participle
catechizes third person singular

Morphology

catechize = catechism (opaque) = catech + ize

The connection to 'catechism' is not transparent for most learners, as 'catechize' is not a regular derivation from a common English base.

Etymology

Catechize comes from an old Greek word katecheo that meant 'to teach by speaking' and is the same root as catechism, a short list of questions and answers about faith. So, to catechize someone is to ask them questions or teach them about religious beliefs.