a. and sb. [f. 16th c. L. trīnitāri-us (f. trīnitās TRINITY) + -AN.
Trinitarius sb. occurs in Servetus, 2nd let. to Calvin, a. 1553, also in Prince N. Radzivil, Lett. to Calvin, 1564 (Calvin Wks. 1879, XX. 332). Cf. F. trinitaire, TRINITARY.]
A. adj. (In senses 1, 2, 4 with capital T.)
1. Ch. Hist. Belonging to the order of the Holy Trinity: see B. 1.
1628. L. Owen, Unmask. Monks, 24. Or the Trinitarian Friars. In the time of … Pope Innocentius the third, the Friers who are called Trinitarians, began to shew themselues to the world.
1725. Lond. Gaz., No. 6355/1. Father Navajas, a Trinitarian Fryar.
1885. Cath. Dict. (ed. 3), s.v., At the dissolution there were eleven Trinitarian houses in England, five in Scotland, and one … in Ireland.
2. Theol. Relating to the Trinity; holding the doctrine of the Trinity (opp. to Unitarian).
In early use, Trinitarian heretic, one holding heretical views as to the Trinity: cf. B. 2 b.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Trinitarian hereticks, otherwise New Arians are those that deny the blessed Trinity, and all distinction of the Divine persons.
1775. Ash, Trinitarian, belonging to the Trinity, acknowledging the Trinity.
1838–9. Hallam, Hist. Lit., IV. IV. ii. § 28. 37. We do not find much of importance written on the Trinitarian controversy.
1899. A. E. Burn, Introd. Creeds, ii. § 6. 22. An unbroken traditional use of the Trinitarian [baptismal] formula.
3. Forming a trinity; consisting of or involving three in one; triple, threefold.
1812. Reflector, II. 159. Our polygraphs, our trinitarian writing-desks.
1889. B. Jones, in Co-operative News, 22 June, 644. The fund would not be there, if it were not for this trinitarian combination of effort [of labourer, capitalist, consumer].
1910. Daily News, 30 Dec., 4. France, Russia, and England do not constitute a trinitarian group or three-fold entity in foreign affairs.
4. Belonging to Trinity College (in Cambridge, Oxford, or Dublin). nonce-use.
a. 1876. M. Collins, Pen Sketches (1879), I. 50. Concerning Cam wrote our pleasant Trinitarian poet [Jas. Payn].
B. sb. (With capital T.)
1. A member of the religious order of the Holy Trinity, founded in 1198 to redeem Christian captives from Mohammedans: = MATHURIN.
All the churches and houses of the order were dedicated to the Holy Trinity.
1628. [see A. 1].
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Trinitarians, a religious order. See Mathurins. Ibid., Mathurins, Friers so called, being of the order of the Holy Trinity, whose principal institute is to redeem poor Christian Captives from the slavery of the Turk.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 179/2. The Trinitarians, or Monks of the Order of the Trinity, begun Anno 1211.
1905. Westm. Gaz., 17 Sept., 3/1. Down Mark-lane and through Crutched Friars, where the famous Trinitarians of old had their monastery.
2. Theol. One who holds the doctrine of the Trinity of the Godhead; a believer in the Trinity.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), s.v., The Orthodox that believe the Trinity are also call’d Trinitarians by the Socinians.
1703. Swift, Abol. Chr. Misc., 1731, I. 109. They make a Difference betwixt nominal and real Trinitarians.
1850. Robertson, Serm., Ser. III. iv. (1872), 45. There are … Trinitarians who are practically Tri-theists worshipping three Gods.
† b. In earlier use, ‘applied particularly to certain sectaries whose opinion as to the Trinity was not orthodox’ (Littré) = Trinitarian heretic in A. 2; including Antitrinitarians or Unitarians.
1565. Harding, Confut. Apol., 133. There are many other sectes … to witte, Osiandrines, Adiaphoristes, Antinomians, Newe Maniches,… Trinitarians.
1658. Phillips, Trinitarians, a sort of Hereticks that deny the Mystery of the Trinity [1706 (ed. Kersey) adds] and all distinction of the Divine Persons.
3. A member of Trinity College (Cambridge, Oxford, or Dublin). nonce-use.
1852. C. A. Bristed, 5 Yrs. Eng. Univ. (ed. 2), 48. The outcries of the Trinitarians waxed more and more boisterous.
1899. Literature, 28 Jan., 89. Trinity College, Oxford…. The story of each period is supplemented by a list of the most notable amongst contemporary Trinitarians.
Hence Trinitarianism, the doctrine of Trinitarians; Trinitarian belief; Trinitarianize v. trans. to make Trinitarian.
1775. Ash, Trinitarianism,… the doctrine of a Trinity of persons in the Godhead.
a. 1817. Merivale’s Reports, III. 357. A sect of Protestant Dissenters called Unitarians, professing themselves to be opposed to Trinitarianism.
1833. Arnold, Lett., 9 March, in Stanley, Life & Corr. (1845), I. vi. 358. If we could get rid of the Athanasian Creed, and of some other instances of … the technical language of Trinitarianism, many Unitarians would have a stumbling-block removed.
1852. De Morgan, in Graves, Life Sir W. R. Hamilton (1899), III. 404. In your versification of the Te Deum you Trinitarianize it.
