ecclesiology

1 of 2

noun (1)

ec·​cle·​si·​ol·​o·​gy i-ˌklē-zē-ˈä-lə-jē How to pronounce ecclesiology (audio)
e-ˌklē-
plural ecclesiologies
1
: the study of church architecture and adornment
2
: theological doctrine relating to the church
ecclesiological adjective
ecclesiologist noun

ecclesiologist

2 of 2

noun (2)

ec·​cle·​si·​ol·​o·​gist
plural -s
: a specialist in ecclesiology

Examples of ecclesiology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Questions of how to address issues at a national level in such a decentralized organization are genuinely difficult to answer, and the report grapples with those difficulties without compromising on basic questions of Baptist ecclesiology. The Editors, National Review, 25 May 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Late Latin ecclēsia "assembly of Christian believers, Christian Church" + -o- + -logy — more at ecclesial

Noun (2)

ecclesiology + -ist

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ecclesiology was circa 1837

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Cite this Entry

“Ecclesiology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ecclesiology. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.

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