Nicodemite

noun

Nic·​o·​de·​mite

ˌnikəˈdēˌmīt

plural -s

: a secret follower or adherent

specifically : a 16th century Protestant Christian who lived in a Roman Catholic country and escaped persecution by concealing his or her Protestantism

Word History

Etymology

Nicodemus, the Jewish ruler who came to Jesus by night (from Latin, from Greek Nikodēmos) (John 3:1–21) + English -ite

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