recusant Definition
a person who refuses to submit to an authority or comply with a regulation, especially a person who refuses to attend church services or take oaths administered by the Church of England.
Using recusant: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "recusant" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The recusants were persecuted for their refusal to attend the Church of England.
Example
He was fined for being a recusant and refusing to take the oath of allegiance.
Example
The recusant's beliefs were at odds with the established church.
recusant Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for recusant
Antonyms for recusant
- conformist
- obeyer
Phrases with recusant
laws passed in England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries that penalized recusants for not attending Anglican services
Example
The recusancy laws were used to persecute Catholics who refused to attend Anglican services.
Catholic priests who refused to conform to the Church of England and were therefore persecuted
Example
Recusant priests were often hunted down and executed for their refusal to conform.
Example
Many recusant families went into hiding to avoid persecution.
Origins of recusant
from Latin 'recusant-' meaning 'objecting', from the verb 'recusare'
Summary: recusant in Brief
'Recusant' [ˈrɛkjʊz(ə)nt] refers to a person who refuses to submit to an authority or comply with a regulation, especially one who refuses to attend church services or take oaths administered by the Church of England. It is often associated with Catholicism and the persecution of those who refused to conform to the established church. Examples include 'The recusants were persecuted for their refusal to attend the Church of England.' and 'The recusant's beliefs were at odds with the established church.'
