puritans

3 definitions • 2 examples

someone who believes that it is important to work hard and control yourself, and that pleasure is wrong or unnecessary:

Despite his apparent liberal views, he's really something of a puritan/he has a puritan streak.

a member of an English religious group in the 16th and 17th centuries who wanted to make church ceremonies simpler, and who believed that it was important to work hard and control yourself and that pleasure was wrong or unnecessary:

During the 17th century the Puritans destroyed many decorations in English churches.

a member of an English religious group in the 16th and 17th centuries who wanted to make church ceremonies simpler and emphasized moral behavior that forbid many pleasures