Novatian

noun

No·​va·​tian

nōˈvāshən

plural -s

: one of an early Christian schismatic sect existing from a.d. 251 to the 6th or 7th century that denied that the church should restore lapsed Christians to membership and advocated a rigidly purist conception of church membership

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin novatianus, from Novatianus, 3d century antipope and founder of the sect

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