| ablution |
a washing or cleansing of oneself, esp. as part of a religious observance or ritual. [1/2 definitions] |
| acolyte |
a person who assists a clergyman in religious services, esp. Roman Catholic. [1/2 definitions] |
| altar |
a raised structure, often a table or platform, upon or at which sacrifices or other religious ceremonies are performed. |
| altar boy |
a young male person who assists the clergy in religious services; acolyte. |
| altar girl |
a young female person who assists the clergy in religious services; acolyte. |
| anchorite |
one who has withdrawn into seclusion for religious reasons or purposes; hermit. |
| anoint |
to put oil or ointment on, especially as part of a religious ritual that confers honor and sacredness. [2 definitions] |
| antiphon |
a song or part of a song to be sung in response, often in a religious service. |
| antireligious |
combined form of religious. |
| apocrypha |
any of various religious writings of unknown origin and questionable authenticity. (Cf. canon1.) [1/2 definitions] |
| apologetics |
(used with a sing. verb) the branch of theology dealing with the defense and proof of a religious faith, esp. Christianity. |
| apostate |
a person who abandons his or her religious faith, principles, cause, or the like. [1/2 definitions] |
| ascetic |
one who practices extreme self-denial, esp. of material comforts and pleasures, and esp. for religious reasons. [2/3 definitions] |
| ashram |
the residence, usu. secluded, of a Hindu philosopher or religious teacher to whom followers come for instruction. [2 definitions] |
| augur |
one who predicts the future or tries to obtain hidden knowledge by interpreting signs and omens, esp. an ancient Roman religious official with such a duty; soothsayer. [1/5 definitions] |
| ave |
Hail!; Hello!; Welcome! (used mainly in religious ceremony). [1/4 definitions] |
| Bahai |
a modern Iranian religion that is based on a doctrine of universal brotherhood, the equality of the sexes, and total religious tolerance. |
| baldachin |
a portable cloth canopy used in religious services. [1/3 definitions] |
| bar mitzvah |
a Jewish ceremony that celebrates a boy's adulthood and the assumption of his religious duties, usu. occurring at the age of thirteen. (Cf. bat mitzvah.) [1/2 definitions] |
| bat mitzvah |
in the Jewish faith, a ceremony in which it is recognized that a girl has come of age to accept her religious responsibilities. [1/2 definitions] |
| belief |
a notion or idea accepted as true, esp. a religious doctrine. [1/3 definitions] |