Origin: Latin suffix -al
Evangelical has 6 different meanings across 1 category:
A member of an evangelical church
"After joining the new congregation, Sarah began attending weekly services as a dedicated evangelical."
In plain English: An evangelical is someone who strongly believes their religious faith should be shared with everyone else.
"The evangelical stood up to share his sermon during church service."
relating to or being a Christian church believing in personal conversion and the inerrancy of the Bible especially the 4 Gospels
"evangelical Christianity"
"an ultraconservative evangelical message"
of or pertaining to or in keeping with the Christian gospel especially as in the first 4 books of the New Testament
"The church building was decorated with murals depicting scenes from the four canonical gospels, reflecting its evangelical focus on the early Christian narrative."
marked by ardent or zealous enthusiasm for a cause
"The team was filled with evangelical support for the new coach's revolutionary training methods."
Pertaining to the doctrines or teachings of the Christian gospel or Christianity in general.
"The evangelical congregation emphasized that their faith was grounded entirely in the teachings found within the four gospels."
Of, or relating to any of several Christian Churches that believe in the sole authority of the gospels.
In plain English: Evangelical describes someone who is very dedicated to spreading their religious beliefs and following strict moral rules based on those teachings.
"The evangelical group gathered to share their faith and community values with new neighbors."
Usage: While often used interchangeably with "born-again," the term specifically denotes adherence to core Protestant doctrines rather than a specific conversion experience. In secular contexts, it frequently describes individuals who prioritize literal biblical interpretation and active missionary work over traditional liturgy.
The word evangelical comes from the Latin evangelium, which itself derives from the Ancient Greek for "good news." It entered English through Old French with this original meaning intact.