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gospel

Follow advice like gospel and you're following it as though it was the final word or authority on the matter.

The word gospel comes from the Old English god meaning "good" and spel meaning "news, a story." In Christianity, the term "good news" refers to the story of Jesus Christ's birth, death, and resurrection. Gospel music is heard in church and sung by a gospel choir. Outside of its application to religion, the word gospel is also used to describe an idea or rule that's accepted as undoubtedly true.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: gospel

1
 n
the written body of teachings of a religious group that are generally accepted by that group
2
 n
folk music consisting of a genre of a cappella music originating with Black slaves in the United States and featuring call and response; influential on the development of other genres of popular music (especially soul)
FULL DEFINITIONS OF: gospel
1

n the written body of teachings of a religious group that are generally accepted by that group

Synonyms:
church doctrine, creed, religious doctrine
Examples:
Augsburg Confession
the document drawn up in 1555 to defend the catholicity of Lutheran doctrine and to justify innovations in Lutheran practice; is still in effect today
Types:
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original sin
a sin said to be inherited by all descendants of Adam
confession
the document that spells out the belief system of a given church (especially the Reformation churches of the 16th century)
ahimsa
a Buddhist and Hindu and especially Jainist doctrine holding that all forms of life are sacred and urging the avoidance of violence
dogma, tenet
a religious doctrine that is proclaimed as true without proof
ecumenicalism, ecumenicism, ecumenism
(Christianity) the doctrine of the ecumenical movement that promotes cooperation and better understanding among different religious denominations: aimed at universal Christian unity
Immaculate Conception, Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary
(Christianity) the Roman Catholic dogma that God preserved the Virgin Mary from any stain of original sin from the moment she was conceived
Incarnation
(Christianity) the Christian doctrine of the union of God and man in the person of Jesus Christ
Nicene Creed
(Christianity) a formal creed summarizing Christian beliefs; first adopted in 325 and later expanded
real presence
(Christianity) the Christian doctrine that the body of Christ is actually present in the Eucharist
article of faith, credendum
(Christianity) any of the sections into which a creed or other statement of doctrine is divided
Type of:
doctrine, ism, philosophical system, philosophy, school of thought
a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school

n a doctrine that is believed to be of great importance

“Newton's writings were gospel for those who followed”
Type of:
doctrine, ism, philosophical system, philosophy, school of thought
a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school

n an unquestionable truth

“his word was gospel”
Synonyms:
gospel truth
Type of:
true statement, truth
a true statement
2

n folk music consisting of a genre of a cappella music originating with Black slaves in the United States and featuring call and response; influential on the development of other genres of popular music (especially soul)

Synonyms:
gospel singing
Types:
doo-wop
a genre (usually a cappella) of Black vocal-harmony music of the 1950s that evolved in New York City from gospel singing; characterized by close four-part harmonies; the name derived from some of the nonsense syllables sung by the backup
soul
a secular form of gospel that was a major Black musical genre in the 1960s and 1970s
Type of:
ethnic music, folk, folk music
the traditional and typically anonymous music that is an expression of the life of people in a community
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