gottselig
German
editEtymology
editFrom Gott (“God”) + selig (“blissful, blessed”, older also “gracious, pious”). Coined by Luther in the 16th century. He intended it to express the simple, natural piety of a true believer who performs good works only to honour God (neither hoping for reward nor fearing punishment). It was accordingly at first restricted to Protestant parlance, but then also entered Catholic use. Already by the 18th century it began to become dated.
Pronunciation
editAdjective
editgottselig (strong nominative masculine singular gottseliger, comparative gottseliger, superlative am gottseligsten)
- (archaic) devout, pious, godly; now hardly of persons, slightly less odd of deeds, lifestyles etc.
- Synonyms: fromm, (tief) religiös, (tief) gläubig, gottesfürchtig, gottgefällig, gottergeben
- ein gottseliges Leben führen ― to lead a devout life
- (dated, by narrowing, sometimes derogatory) pietistic, filled with deep religiosity, possibly rapturous or zealous
- (rare) emphatic form of selig (“late, having died in God's mercy”)
Declension
editPositive forms of gottselig
Comparative forms of gottselig
Superlative forms of gottselig