nounWord forms: plural-ars, -ari (-ərɪ) or -arists
a member of a Christian sect in Provence in the 12th and 13th centuries who believed the material world was evil and only the spiritual was good
Derived forms
Catharism (ˈCatharˌism)
noun
Word origin
from Medieval Latin Cathari, from Greek katharoi the pure
Cathar in American English
(ˈkæθɑːr)
nounWord forms: plural-ari (-əˌrai) or -ars
(in medieval Europe)
a member of any of several rigorously ascetic Christian sects maintaining a dualistic theology
Also called: Catharist (ˈkæθərɪst)
Derived forms
Catharism
noun
Catharistic
adjective
Word origin
[1630–40; ‹ LL Catharī (pl.) ‹ LGk hoi Katharoí Novatians, lit., the pure; applied in ML to various sects]This word is first recorded in the period 1630–40. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: brigade, cachet, concentrate, integrate, outfield