Sabellian

Meanings

1. A certain language once spoken in Umbria, Italy.

1. Of or pertaining to the Sabellian language.

1. A member of a group of early Italian peoples comprising the Sabines, Samnites, and others.

1. A follower of the Roman Christian prelate and theologian Sabellius.
2. A Modalistic Monarchian; someone who believes that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the same person.

Etymology

From Latin Sabellus + -ian, pertaining to the Sabellī, an Italic tribe, from Proto-Italic *saβn- (whence also Samnium, Samnones, Sabus, Sabīnus), perhaps from an uncertain Proto-Indo-European root, sometimes identified with the reflexive pronoun *swé (“self”) for the assumed meaning “one's own” (compare Proto-Germanic *swēbaz for a similar etymology), but this is highly suspect on phonetic grounds.