church

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noun

ˈchərch 

1

: a building for public and especially Christian worship

2

: the clergy or officialdom of a religious body

the word church … is put for the persons that are ordained for the ministry of the Gospel, that is to say, the clergy

—J. Ayliffe

3

often capitalized : a body or organization of religious believers: such as

a

: the whole body of Christians

the one church is the whole body gathered together from all ages

—J. H. Newman

b

: denomination

the Presbyterian church

c

: congregation

they had appointed elders for them in every church

—Acts 14:23 (Revised Standard Version)

4

: a public divine worship

goes to church every Sunday

5

: the clerical profession

considered the church as a possible career

church

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adjective

1

: of or relating to a church

church government

2

chiefly British : of or relating to the established church

church

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verb

churched; churching; churches

transitive verb

: to bring to church to receive one of its rites

Synonyms

Noun

• kirk [chiefly Scottish]
• tabernacle
• temple

Examples of church in a Sentence

Noun

This is the oldest church in town.

They would like to be married in a church.

I didn't see you at church last Sunday.

He is a member of the Catholic Church.

What church do you belong to?

the church's attitude toward divorce

the separation of church and state

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The liberal justices on the court sought to defend the country’s separation between church and state, which has previously not allowed public funding for religious charter schools. —Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 1 May 2025

In 1840, the church opened the first of an eventual fifteen liberal arts colleges, all free-thinking, abolitionist, and dedicated to educating men and women on an equal basis. —Richard D. Mahoney, JSTOR Daily, 30 Apr. 2025

Adjective

Jenny journeyed to a questionable mega-church compound that seemed extremely cult-like, only to discover Cody never made it there. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 2 Dec. 2020

Bateman lived in Colorado City among a patchwork of devout members of the polygamous FLDS, ex-church members and those who don't practice the beliefs. —Felicia Fonseca, USA TODAY, 8 Dec. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun, Adjective, and Verb

Middle English chirche, from Old English cirice, ultimately from Late Greek kyriakon, from Greek, neuter of kyriakos of the lord, from kyrios lord, master; akin to Sanskrit śūra hero, warrior

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing church

• anti-church
• church father
• church key
• church mode
• church register
• church school
• collegiate church
• established church
• federated church
• go to church
• inter-church
• non-church
• separation of church and state
• state church
• storefront church
• union church

Rhymes for church

• birch
• lurch
• perch
• search
• interchurch
• recherche
• research

Kids Definition

church

noun

ˈchərch

1

: a building for public worship and especially Christian worship

2

often capitalized : an organized body of religious believers

3

: public worship

churchly

-lē

adjective

Biographical Definition

Church

biographical name

ˈchərch 

Frederic Edwin 1826–1900 American painter