anythingarian

English

Etymology

anything +‎ -arian, by analogy with unitarian, trinitarian, etc.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: ĕ'nĭthĭngâʹrĭən, IPA^(key): /ˌɛnɪθɪŋˈɛəɹɪən/

• Audio (UK)

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Noun

anythingarian (plural anythingarians)

1. (derogatory, religion) A person who does not profess any particular creed; an indifferentist.
   • ante 1704, The Works of Tom Brown, volume 3, page 97:

     Such bifarious anythingarians, that always make their interest the standard of their religion.

   • 1738, Jonathan Swift, Polite Conversation, dialogue 1

     Lady Smart. What Religion is he of?
     Ld. Sparkiſh. Why he is an Anythingarian.
     Lady Anſw. I believe, he has his Religion to chuſe, my Lord.

   • 1850, Charles Kingsley, chapter 22, in Alton Locke, Tailor and Poet:

     They made puir Robbie Burns an anythingarian with their blethers.

Derived terms

• anythingarianism (rare)

Related terms

• nothingarian

Translations

indifferentist — see indifferentist

References

• “anythingarian” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary, second edition (1989)
• Eric Partridge’s Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, seventh edition