Thessalonians

/ˌθɛsəˈloʊniənz/ noun

Definition

The inhabitants of Thessalonica, an ancient Greek city, or referring to two books in the New Testament written by Paul to the early Christian community there.

Etymology

From Greek Thessalonikē, named after Thessalonikē, sister of Alexander the Great. The city was founded in 315 BCE and became an important center of early Christianity.

Kelly Says

The Thessalonians were among the most enthusiastic early Christian converts, which is why Paul's letters to them are filled with praise and encouragement rather than the stern corrections found in his other epistles. Modern Thessalonica is known today as Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.