Dutch humanist and theologian who was the leading Renaissance scholar of northern Europe; although his criticisms of the Roman Catholic Church led to the Reformation, he opposed violence and condemned Martin Luther (1466-1536) • Syn: Erasmus, Desiderius Erasmus, Geert Geerts • Derivationally related forms: Erasmian (for: Erasmus) • Instance Hypernyms: theologian, theologist, theologizer, theologiser, humanist