Re*li"gious (r?-l?j"?s), a. [OF. religius, religious, F. religieux, from L. religiosus. See Religion.] 1. Of or pertaining to religion; concerned with religion; teaching, or setting forth, religion; set apart to religion; as, a religious society; a religious sect; a religious place; religious subjects, books, teachers, houses, wars.

Our law forbids at their religious rites
My presence.

2. Possessing, or conforming to, religion; pious; godly; as, a religious man, life, behavior, etc.

Men whose lives
Religious titled them the sons of God.

3. Scrupulously faithful or exact; strict.

Thus, Indianlike,
Religious in my error, I adore
The sun, that looks upon his worshiper.

4. Belonging to a religious order; bound by vows.

One of them is religious.

Syn. -- Pious; godly; holy; devout; devotional; conscientious; strict; rogod; exact.

Re*li"gious, n. A person bound by monastic vows, or sequestered from secular concern, and devoted to a life of piety and religion; a monk or friar; a nun. Addison.

• From the Latin religio, "respect for what is sacred".
  
• Latin re- and legere -- "to read again".
  
• Latin religare, "to bind".
  
• Concerning religion.
        It is the job of this court to rule on legal matters. We do not consider religious issues.
  
• Committed to the practice of religion.
        I was much more religious as a teenager than I am now.
  
• Highly dedicated, as one would be to a religion.
        I'm a religious fan of college basketball.
  
• A member of a religious order.
        I am only one religious among the many religious of this church.