French word

cathare

Pronunciation

IPA/kataʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounCathar

Example

Il prétend être un cathare.

He claims to be a Cathar.

Illustration for cathare (Cathar)

More examples

On a étudié les Cathares au lycée.

We studied the Cathars in high school.

Core concept

A medieval religious believer who seeks spiritual purity by turning away from worldly possessions.

Similar words

religion: A system of faith in gods or the supernatural, with teachings and forms of worship.
croyance: An idea that a particular matter is true.
secte: A small religious group gathered around particular teachings or a leader.
mouvement: A group action united by a shared purpose or set of ideas.

Definition in French

Dénomination historique d'un courant médiéval qui distinguait le spirituel et le corporel et prônait le renoncement aux richesses matérielles.

Word origin

The name comes from Greek katharos, meaning 'pure', through medieval Latin Cathari into French.

Usage tips

  • Cathare is mainly a historical term, so it appears more often in accounts of medieval southern France than in everyday conversation.

Opposites

Word lists with this word