One who, in the time of Queen Elizabeth and the first two Stuarts, opposed traditional and formal usages, and advocated simpler forms of faith and worship than those established by law; -- originally, a term of reproach. The Puritans formed the bulk of the early population of New England.
One who is scrupulous and strict in his religious life; -- often used reproachfully or in contempt; one who has overstrict notions.
A term first used about 1570 for English Protestants who wanted to "purify" the Church of England of ceremony and ritual not found in the scriptures. At first they simply wanted to reform their church, but by 1620, many were "separatists" who wanted to start their own churches. There were never many separatist Puritans in England because they tended emigrate to America. During the time of the Parliamentary Wars (or Civil War) 1642-1649, Puritans in England were called "Roundheads" because of the way they cropped their hair. So, Col. Daniel Axtell was a Roundhead. The Royalists who supported the king were "Cavaliers" with long, flowing hair. All of the English settlements in Massachusetts--both the Plymouth Colony of 1620 and the Massachusetts Bay Colony of 1630--were settled by Puritans. Puritans included people from all of English society and from all parts of England. They were all over the map and it's hard to make generalizations.
A radical Protestant. Influenced by European Protestants, and especially by John Calvin in Switzerland, Puritans emerged in Britain during the mid-1550s. Essentially fundamentalists, they usually believed in a much stricter version of religion than prevailed in the state Church. They were often derided as killjoys because of their opposition to swearing, drunkenness and sexual licence. Find out more
adheres to strict religious principles; opposed to sensual pleasures
morally rigorous and strict; "blue laws"; "the puritan work ethic"; "puritanic distaste for alcohol"; "she was anything but puritanical in her behavior"
A person who during the period of the Elizabethans and Stuarts believed in a strict morality and purity in the protestant religion
A person who is very strict in morals and religion.
A Puritan of 16th and 17th century England was any person seeking "purity" of worship and doctrine, especially the parties that rejected the Laudian reform of the Church of England. Those who sought further reform of liturgy and theology away from that of the Roman Catholic Church and those who justified separation from the Church of England following the Elizabethan Religious Settlement are commonly called "Puritans" by historians and critics. Later groups are called "puritan", not necessarily favorably, by comparison to these low church Anglicans and Calvinistic Non-conformists.