catechumen

Etymology

Catechumen came into English via Middle English cathecumynys (plural), from Middle French cathecumin (modern French catéchumène) or Ecclesiastical Latin catēchūmenus, itself borrowed from Ancient Greek κατηχούμενος (katēkhoúmenos, “being instructed”), the present passive participle of κατηχέω (katēkhéō, “sound through, instruct orally, catechise”), from κατά (katá, “down”) and ἠχή (ēkhḗ, “sound”).