Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of or relating to Laodicea.
  • adjective Indifferent or lukewarm especially in matters of religion.
  • noun A native or inhabitant of Laodicea.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Of or pertaining to Laodicea, an ancient city of Phrygia Major (now Eski-hissar), or to its inhabitants.
  • Like the Christians of Laodicea; lukewarm in religion.
  • noun An inhabitant of Laodicea.
  • noun One who resembles the Laodicean Christians in character; a lukewarm Christian.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Of or pertaining to Laodicea, a city in Phrygia Major; like the Christians of Laodicea; lukewarm in religion.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective pertaining to Laodicea
  • adjective lukewarm, neither hot nor cold (with reference to Revelation 3:16)
  • noun Somebody from Laodicea

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Adj., sense 2, in reference to Revelation 3:14–16.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin Laodicea, from Ancient Greek Λαοδικεια (Laodikeia), a city in Asia Minor.

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Examples

  • The eighth grader won the competition after correctly spelling the word Laodicean, which she was told means "lukewarm or indifferent in religion or politics."

    Latest News - UPI.com 2009

  • The religious meaning of the word Laodicean is a historical reference to an early Christian Church in ancient Rome whose members were tolerant of pagan faiths.

    The News is NowPublic.com - NowPublic.com: The News is Now Public 2009

  • But there is a road on the right of the hill be - fore you, called the Laodicean new road, which cannot but be approved by every judicious and discreet person.

    The pilgrimage of Theophilus to the City of God Gilpin, Joseph 1812

  • Last year, the winning word "Laodicean," which can mean lukewarm or indifferent in religion or politics, was properly spelled by Kavya Shivashankar.

    The most common mispellings, er, misspellings 2010

  • WASHINGTON, DC (The Sportsman's Daily Wire Service) - Controversy clouded the victory of thirteen-year-old Kavya Shivashankar of Olathe, Kansas, who won the 82nd annual Scripps National Spelling Bee when she spelled "Laodicean," meaning lukewarm or indifferent, especially in matters of religion.

    The Sportsman's Daily: Trash Talking Contestants Roil 82nd Annual Spelling Bee 2009

  • Kavya aced the word 'Laodicean' (lay-OD-uh-CEE-uhn) Thursday night to win the 82nd Scripps National Spelling Bee.

    unknown title 2009

  • Kan., won by correctly spelling the word "Laodicean" in the 16th round of the competition.

    Las Vegas Sun Stories: All Sun Headlines 2009

  • The 13-year-old Kansas girl saved the biggest smile for last, when she rattled off the letters to "Laodicean" to become the nation's spelling champion.

    Home - BostonHerald.com 2009

  • "Laodicean" has therefore entered the English language as a word meaning "indifferent" or

    Frugal In Virginia 2009

  • Kavya aced the word 'Laodicean' (lay-OD-uh-CEE-uhn) Thursday night to win the 82nd Scripps National Spelling Bee.

    unknown title 2009

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