croyants

Croyant is a French noun and adjective meaning believer. The term derives from Old French creiant, from Latin credens, the present participle of credere, to believe. As a noun, un croyant refers to a person who professes belief in a religion or spiritual system; as an adjective, croyant describes things related to belief.

In French-speaking contexts, les croyants are people who affirm the doctrines of a faith and may participate in rituals, worship, or community life. The expression is used across religious traditions, including Christianity, Islam, and Judaism—for example, les croyants chrétiens or les croyants musulmans. It emphasizes belief rather than necessarily strict practice; in ecclesiastical or sociological language, other terms such as pratiquants (practitioners) or fidèles (the faithful) can distinguish levels of observance.

In modern discourse, croyants can function as a descriptive category in studies of religion and plural societies. They may form communities that share creeds, moral frameworks, and holidays, while individual belief levels can vary. The term is neutral in itself, though its use can carry normative or political implications in discussions of secularism, religious education, or the rights of religious groups.

Translations into English typically render croyants as “believers” or “the faithful.” In scholarly usage, it is important to clarify whether the focus is on belief, identity, or affiliation, to avoid conflating inward conviction with outward practice.