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established church
noun
: a church recognized by law as the official church of a nation or state and supported by civil authority
Examples of established church in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Author Tony Ortega, who chronicles Scientology at his website The Underground Bunker, explains that this is established church protocol in action.
—Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2022
In the message, the pope expressed concern for the laity and clergy of Germany if their leaders break with established church teaching.
—Fox News, 21 July 2022
Although not a signatory of that letter, Archbishop Justin Welby, the head of England’s established church and a fellow Etonian, is known to share that worry.
—The Economist, 27 July 2019
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'established church.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1575, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of established church was
in 1575
Dictionary Entries Near established church
Cite this Entry
“Established church.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/established%20church. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Kids Definition
established church
noun
: a church recognized by law as the official church of a nation
More from Merriam-Webster on established church
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about established church
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