church Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
    Christian church.
  2. noun a place for public (especially Christian) worship
    church building.
    • the church was empty
  3. noun a service conducted in a house of worship
    church service.
    • don't be late for church
  4. noun the body of people who attend or belong to a particular local church
    • our church is hosting a picnic next week
  5. verb perform a special church rite or service for
    • church a woman after childbirth

WordNet


Church noun
Etymology
OE. chirche, chireche, cherche, Scot. kirk, from AS. circe, cyrice; akin to D. kerk, Icel. kirkja, Sw. kyrka, Dan. kirke, G. kirche, OHG. chirihha; all fr. Gr. the Lord's house, fr. concerning a master or lord, fr. master, lord, fr. power, might; akin to Skr. çura hero, Zend. çura strong, OIr. caur, cur, hero. Cf. Kirk.
Definitions
  1. A building set apart for Christian worship.
  2. A Jewish or heathen temple. Obs. Acts xix. 37.
  3. A formally organized body of Christian believers worshiping together. "When they had ordained them elders in every church." Acts xiv. 23.
  4. A body of Christian believers, holding the same creed, observing the same rites, and acknowledging the same ecclesiastical authority; a denomination; as, the Roman Catholic church; the Presbyterian church.
  5. The collective body of Christians.
  6. Any body of worshipers; as, the Jewish church; the church of Brahm.
  7. The aggregate of religious influences in a community; ecclesiastical influence, authority, etc.; as, to array the power of the church against some moral evil.
    Remember that both church and state are properly the rulers of the people, only because they are their benefactors. Bulwer.
    Church is often used in composition to denote something belonging or relating to the church; as, church authority; church history; church member; church music, etc.
Church transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Churched ; present participle & verbal noun Churching
Definitions
  1. To bless according to a prescribed form, or to unite with in publicly returning thanks in church, as after deliverance from the dangers of childbirth; as, the churching of women.

Webster 1913