Church — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective verb /ˈchərch/

Meaning & Definition of Church

Church (noun)

  1. a building for public religious services and especially Christian worship
  2. a body or organization of religious believers
  3. the institution of the Christian religion, the Christian religion seen as an organization

Church (adjective)

  1. of or relating to a church
  2. of or relating to the established church

Church (verb)

  1. to bring to church to receive one of its rites

Church (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a building for public worship and especially Christian worship

    "a city that is noted for its many historic churches"

    similar: kirk (chiefly Scottish), tabernacle, temple
    related: abbey, bethel, cathedral, chapel, minster, mission, oratory, sanctuary, shrine, meetinghouse, mosque, pagoda, shul, synagogue

  2. a body of persons gathered for religious worship

    "spoke to the whole church at once"

    similar: assembly, congregation
    related: flock, laity, parish, communion, confession, denomination, fold, sect

  3. the group ordained to perform clerical functions in the Christian church

    "a time when few young men seem to want to join the church"

    similar: clergy, cloth, first estate, ministry, spirituality, spiritualty
    related: diaconate, episcopate, hierarchy, presbytery, clerkship, monkhood, priesthood
    opposite: laity

Related Entry: Doctor (noun)

Doctor is a different word from Church. The synonyms below are for doctor, not for church.

  1. a person specially trained in healing human medical disorders

    "we called a doctor as soon as we realized the baby was sick"

    similar: croaker (slang), doc, medic, medico, physician, sawbones (slang)
    related: family doctor, family physician, family practitioner, general practitioner, anesthesiologist, dermatologist, gynecologist, internist, neurologist, ob-gyn, obstetrician, ophthalmologist, orthopedist, pathologist, pediatrician, physiatrist, podiatrist, radiologist, urologist, attending, clinician, hospitalist, specialist, plastic surgeon, surgeon, intern, resident, aidman, nurse, nurse-practitioner, EMT, paramedic, physical therapist, physiotherapist
    opposite: nondoctor, nonphysician

Related Entry: Father (noun)

Father is a different word from Church. The synonyms below are for father, not for church.

  1. a male human parent

    "the special relationship that exists between fathers and sons"

    similar: dad, daddy, old man, pa, papa, pater (chiefly British), pop, sire
    related: paterfamilias, patriarch, father figure, father image, stepfather

  2. a person who establishes a whole new field of endeavor

    "Sir Isaac Newton is regarded by many as the father of modern science"

    similar: author, begetter, creator, establisher, founder, founding father, generator, inaugurator, initiator, instituter, originator, sire
    related: cocreator, cofounder, conceiver, contriver, designer, deviser, formulator, innovator, introducer, inventor, spawner, builder, maker, producer, developer, pioneer, researcher, researchist, organizer, promoter, encourager, galvanizer, inspiration, inspirer
    near: disciple, follower, pupil, student, supporter

  3. a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent

    "our fathers founded this nation on the fundamental belief that no person is entitled to rule by divine right"

    similar: ancestor, forebear, forebearer, forefather, grandfather, primogenitor, progenitor
    related: antecessor, predecessor (archaic), ancestress, foremother, grandmother, matriarch, grandsire (archaic), patriarch, sire (archaic), ancestry, antecedents, roots
    opposite: descendant
    near: children, family, issue, lineage, offspring, posterity, progeny, seed, stock, daughter, heir, inheritor, scion, son, successor

  4. the being worshipped as the creator and ruler of the universe

    "let us ask humbly for the blessings of our Father in heaven"

    similar: Allah, Almighty, Author, Creator, deity, Divinity, Eternal, Everlasting, God, Godhead, Jehovah, King, Lord, Maker, Providence, Supreme Being, Yahweh

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Church

The most common words with a similar meaning to Church:

Chiefly Scottish: kirk
tabernacle, temple, assembly, congregation, clergy, cloth, first estate, ministry, spirituality, spiritualty

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Church

Words with the opposite meaning of Church:

laity

Related Words for Church

abbey, bethel, cathedral, chapel, minster, mission, oratory, sanctuary, shrine, meetinghouse, mosque, pagoda, shul, synagogue, flock, laity, parish, communion, confession, denomination, fold, sect, diaconate, episcopate, hierarchy, presbytery, clerkship, monkhood, priesthood

Word Forms of Church

Inflections: churched, churching, churches

Origin & Etymology of Church

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: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Church

Words & Phrases Containing Church

church father, church key, church mode, Church of England, church register, church school

Frequently Asked Questions about Church

What does "Church" mean?

"Church" means a building for public religious services and especially Christian worship. As an a noun, an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: a building for public religious services and especially Christian worship. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Church"?

Other words for "Church" include kirk, tabernacle, temple, assembly, congregation, clergy, cloth and first estate. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Church" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Church"?

There are 40 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Church". Common alternatives include kirk, tabernacle, temple, assembly, congregation, clergy, cloth, first estate, ministry and spirituality.

What is the opposite of "Church"?

Antonyms of "Church" include laity.

How do you use "Church" in a sentence?

Examples of "Church" in a sentence: "a city that is noted for its many historic churches"; "spoke to the whole church at once"; "a time when few young men seem to want to join the church".

Is "Church" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Church" can be used as a noun, an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Church" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Church" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Church"?

"Church" is pronounced /ˈchərch/.