pietism

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

Pietism
    n 1: 17th and 18th-century German movement in the Lutheran
         Church stressing personal piety and devotion
    2: exaggerated or affected piety and religious zeal [syn:
       {religiosity}, {religionism}, {religiousism}, {pietism}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Pietism \Pi"e*tism\ (p[imac]"[-e]*t[i^]z'm), n. [Cf. G.
   pietismus, F. pi['e]tisme.]
   1. The principle or practice of the Pietists.
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   2. Strict devotion; also, affectation of devotion.
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            The Sch["o]ne Seele, that ideal of gentle pietism,
            in "Wilhelm Meister."                 --W. Pater.
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