Prot"es*tant (?), n. [F. protestant, fr. L. protestans, -antis, p. pr.
of protestare. See Protest, v.] One who protests; -- originally applied
to those who adhered to Luther, and protested against, or made a solemn
declaration of dissent from, a decree of the Emperor Charles V. and the
Diet of Spires, in 1529, against the Reformers, and appealed to a
general council; -- now used in a popular sense to designate any
Christian who does not belong to the Roman Catholic or the Greek
Church.
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Prot"es*tant (?), a. [Cf. F. protestant.] 1. Making a protest;
protesting.
2. Of or pertaining to the faith and practice of those Christians who
reject the authority of the Roman Catholic Church; as, Protestant
writers.