"religious education" means: The teaching of a particular religion, and its doctrines, beliefs etc.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
religious education
The teaching of a particular religion, and its doctrines, beliefs etc.
Definitions
(UK) The teaching about various religions; also known as religious studies.
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Show 1 more dictionary-style sense (imported)
The teaching of a particular religion, and its doctrines, beliefs etc.
"religious education" means: The teaching of a particular religion, and its doctrines, beliefs etc.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
"religious education" means: The teaching of a particular religion, and its doctrines, beliefs etc.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
“Oh hey religious education & swimming pools. Somehow”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
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Semantically related
- 61%
(informal, sometimes, humorous) To develop a faith in God or divine beings in general; to join a religious group and become a believer.
- 59%
(US, informal) To become convinced of something, usually to a fanatic degree.
- 59%
(theology, religious studies) based on religious faith.
- 59%
(US, education, religion) The amount of time set aside during school hours, typically an hour a day or a week, for a student to receive an off-campus private religious education.