protest

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protest protestation XIV; formal written declaration XVII; declaration of dissent XVIII. — F. † protest (mod. protêt), f. protester (whence protest vb. XV). — L. prōtestārī declare formally, f. PRO-1 + testārī be a witness, assert.
So Protestant applied to those who joined in the protest at the Diet of Spires in 1529; (hence) non-Roman-Catholic XVI; (p-) one who protests (gen.) XVII. — L. prōtestāns, prp. of prōtestārī. protestation XIV. — (O)F. — Late L.

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