The birth of religion entailed many additional terms, the use of which is peculiar only to this area. One of the terms that have found widespread use is the word "devout".
Origin
If you parse the word into its components, it becomes clear that its formation primarily occurred on the basis of the word "God." God is the Lord, who is the crown of religious culture, and therefore - the highest power, which, in the opinion of believers, has full authority. Thus, a devout is one who consciously believes in the Lord. The first mention of this word is found in ancient Slavic writings. It is noteworthy that the word has not undergone any changes. The actual form of its existence is fully consistent with the ancient equivalent. The only differences are in spelling, but they are explained by the fact that the grammar of the Slavic language is significantly different from modern.
Features of the formation of the word
The prefix "on" has a certain role. Without an analysis of her participation, the answer to the question of what the pious means is impossible. In this case, we are dealing with determining the direction of action. A devout is one who not only honors gentlemen, but also tries to please and correspond in everything to him. This form of word formation, represented by the considered lexeme, has a deeply religious connotation. A devout is a timeless adjective, the use of which is possible if we talk about the religious preferences of man.
Perception features
In modern society, there is a pronounced negative attitude towards religion. The number of atheists is increasing day by day. The reason for such changes lies in the blatant corruption of the church. Previously, the word in question had the following color:
- decent;
- honest;
- equitable;
- zealous;
- merciful.
Today, his perception has changed in the following direction:
- stupid;
- old fashioned;
- unreasonable.
Features of perception, of course, are dictated by time. Although the government strongly supports the church, it is more likely to add additional notes of negativity, as the attitude of citizens towards power is far from being the most blissful.
Thus, “pious” is a term that, regardless of interpretation, with respect to time reference, should make it clear about a person’s attachment to religion. Its use is appropriate when describing adherents, representatives of any faiths.