Pentecostal
1 synonym for Pentecostal, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Belonging to a branch of Protestant Christianity that emphasises direct personal experience of the Holy Spirit, expressed through gifts such as speaking in tongues, prophecy and faith healing.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Pentecostalist
How to use Pentecostal
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Pentecostal church
Pentecostal movement
Pentecostal preacher
Oneness Pentecostal
Capitalised when naming the movement; lower case only when describing the feast in general terms.
Etymology
From Pentecost, via Latin from Greek pentēkostē (hēmera) 'fiftieth (day)', the festival falling fifty days after Passover or Easter.
Full origin of Pentecostal →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Pentecostal and evangelical?
Evangelical is a broad label for Protestants who stress personal conversion, biblical authority and evangelism. Pentecostals are a subset who additionally believe the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, such as tongues and healing, are active today.
What is the difference between Pentecostal and charismatic?
Pentecostals belong to distinct denominations founded on those beliefs. Charismatics hold similar views about the gifts of the Spirit but remain inside other churches, including Catholic and Anglican ones.
Why is speaking in tongues important to Pentecostals?
Many Pentecostal churches treat it as the outward evidence of baptism in the Holy Spirit, a distinct experience following conversion.
