Contents
English
Most common English words: government « particular « charge « #603: church » paper » object » faithEtymology
Middle English chirche < Old English ċiriċe, from West Germanic *kirika, from Ancient Greek κυριακόν (kuriakon), neuter form of κυριακός (“‘belonging to the lord’”) from κύριος (kurios), “‘ruler, lord’”). For vowel evolution, see bury. Greek κυριακόν (kuriakon) was used of houses of Christian worship since circa 300 AD, especially in the East, though it was less common in this sense than ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia), “‘congregation’”) or βασιλική (basilikē), “‘royal thing’”). An example of the direct Greek-to-Germanic progress of many Christian words, via the Goths; it was probably used by West Germanic people in their pre-Christian period. Cognate with West Frisian tsjerke, Dutch kerk, German Kirche, Danish kirke, Swedish kyrka, Norwegian kirke or kyrkje, and Icelandic kirkja. Also picked up by Slavic, via Old High German chirihha (compare Old Church Slavonic црькъі (crĭky), Russian церковь (cérkov’)). Romance and Celtic languages use variants of Latin ecclesia.
Pronunciation
Alternative spellings
- churche (obsolete)
Noun
A church, with many architectural features traditional to such a structure.|
Singular church |
Plural churches |
church (plural churches)
- A Christian house of worship; a building where religious services take place.
- There is a lovely little church in the valley.
- A Christian religious organization, local or general.
- The Church of England separated from the Roman Catholic Church in 1534.
- The church across the street has a service at 10 am.
- A group of people who follow the same Christian religious beliefs, local or general.
- These worshippers comprise the Church of Christ.
- Acts 20:28, New International Version:
- Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
- A time of public worship; a worship service.
- I'll be there after church.
Synonyms
- (building): chapel (small church), kirk (Scottish)
- (group of worshippers): congregation
Derived terms
Look at pages starting with church.
Derived terms
|
|
See also
|
Verb
|
Infinitive to church |
Third person singular churches |
Simple past churched |
Past participle churched |
Present participle churching |
to church (third-person singular simple present churches, present participle churching, simple past and past participle churched)
- (transitive) To conduct a religious service for a woman after childbirth
- (transitive) To educate someone religiously, as in in a church.
Derived terms
- churching of women
See also
|
Baltimore Sun
St. Gregory the Great Church in West Baltimore and St. Wenceslaus in East Baltimore had circulated fliers promoting the event. "As we approach the season of ...
and more »
768px x 1024px | 133.50kB
[source page]
Saint Peter s Church in Antioch Antakya Turkey
Ben
Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:21:26 GM
As kids, we attended . church. very regularly for three years because it was mandatory at our school. Worse still, the . church. was in the school, so it wasn't like.
