: of, relating to, or being a time before the beginning of the Christian era

Examples of pre-Christian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At one point, according to the University of South-Eastern Norway, the drink—which traces back to the pre-Christian pagan midwinter festival but was later adopted to honor Mary and Jesus—was mandatory. Chad De Guzman, TIME, 18 Dec. 2024 His benevolent counterpart, St. Nicholas, will then gift children who have been good on the following day, known as the Feast of St. Nicholas. Celebrations involving the two began in pre-Christian times as far back as the sixth century. Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pre-Christian was in 1828

Dictionary Entries Near pre-Christian

Cite this Entry

“Pre-Christian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pre-Christian. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!