c. 1200, "devout, pious, imbued with or expressive of religious devotion," from Anglo-French religius, Old French religious (12c., Modern French religieux) and directly from Latin religiosus, from religio (see religion). Meaning "pertaining to religion" is from 1530s. Transferred sense of "scrupulous, exact" is recorded from 1590s. Related: Religiousness.
religious texts
a member of a religious order
a religious man
religious attitude
the religious or regular clergy conducts the service
religious in observing the rules of health
reliever
religate
religieuse
religion
religiosity
religious
religiously
relinquish
reliquary
relique
reliquiae
