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