religiöser

Religiöser is a German term that can function as an adjective meaning “religious” and, when capitalized as a noun, as a designation for a person who belongs to a religious group. As an adjective it inflects like other German adjectives: der religiöser Mann (masculine nominative), die religiöse Frau (feminine nominative), das religiöse Leben (neuter nominative). In plural contexts one encounters religiöse before nouns, for example religiöse Gemeinschaften, meaning “religious communities.” The noun form, Der Religiöse, is capitalized and refers to a religious person or adherent; the plural is die Religiösen.

Etymology and related terms: Religiöser derives from the Latin religiosus, through the history of German religious vocabulary, and is related to the noun Religion as well as the adjective religiös. In contemporary usage, religiös is the more common everyday adjective, while Religiöse as a noun tends to appear in more formal, historical, or sociological writing.

Usage and nuance: In modern German, religiös and religiöser are primarily descriptive and neutral when used as adjectives. The noun form Religiöse is used when emphasizing the group of people who are religious, and it can carry sociological or typological connotations rather than a personal label in casual speech. Writers often prefer religiös for general description and only resort to the substantive Religiöse when the text necessitates a nominal reference to believers or religiously affiliated individuals.

See also: Religion, religiös, religious studies, secularism.