noun
- (sometimes initial capital letter) a religious movement characterized by a strict belief in the literal interpretation of religious texts, especially within American Protestantism and Islam.
- the beliefs held by those in this movement.
- strict adherence to any set of basic ideas or principles: the fundamentalism of the extreme conservatives.
noun
- Christianity (esp among certain Protestant sects) the belief that every word of the Bible is divinely inspired and therefore true
- Islam a movement favouring strict observance of the teachings of the Koran and Islamic law
- strict adherence to the fundamental principles of any set of beliefs
A conservative movement in theology among nineteenth- and twentieth-century Christians (see also Christian). Fundamentalists believe that the statements in the Bible (see also Bible) are literally true.