public worship of God or a religious service in such a building: to attend church regularly.
3.
(sometimes initial capital letter) the whole body of Christian believers; Christendom.
4.
(sometimes initial capital letter) any division of this body professing the same creed and acknowledging the same ecclesiastical authority; a Christian denomination: the Methodist Church.
5.
that part of the whole Christian body, or of a particular denomination, belonging to the same city, country, nation, etc.
6.
a body of Christians worshipping in a particular building or constituting one congregation: She is a member of this church.
7.
ecclesiastical organization, power, and affairs, as distinguished from the state: separation of church and state; The missionary went wherever the church sent him.
8.
the clergy and religious officials of a Christian denomination.
9.
the Christian faith: a return of intellectuals to the church.
10.
(initial capital letter) the Christian Church before the Reformation.
11.
(initial capital letter) the Roman Catholic Church.
12.
the clerical profession or calling: After much study and contemplation, he was prepared to enter the church.
13.
a place of public worship of a non-Christian religion.
14.
any non-Christian religious society, organization, or congregation: the Jewish church.
–verb (used with object)
15.
to conduct or bring to church, esp. for special services.
16.
South Midland and Southern U.S.to subject to church discipline.
17.
to perform a church service of thanksgiving for (a woman after childbirth).
[Origin: bef. 900; ME chir(i)che, OE cir(i)ce ≪ Gk kȳri(a)kón (dôma) the Lord's (house), neut. of kȳriakós of the master, equiv. to kȳ́ri(os) master (kŷr(os) power + -ios n. suffix) + -akos, var. of -ikos-ic; akin to D kerk, G Kirche, ON kirkja.See kirk]
A building for public, especially Christian worship.
often Church
The company of all Christians regarded as a spiritual body.
A specified Christian denomination: the Presbyterian Church.
A congregation.
Public divine worship in a church; a religious service: goes to church at Christmas and Easter.
The clerical profession; clergy.
Ecclesiastical power as distinguished from the secular: the separation of church and state.
tr.v.
churched, church·ing, church·es
To conduct a church service for, especially to perform a religious service for (a woman after childbirth).
adj.
Of or relating to the church; ecclesiastical.
[Middle English chirche, from Old English cirice, ultimately from Medieval Greek kūrikon, from Late Greek kūriakon (dōma), the Lord's (house), neuter of Greek kūriakos, of the lord, from kūrios, lord; see keuə- in Indo-European roots.]
O.E. cirice "church," from W.Gmc. *kirika, from Gk. kyriake (oikia) "Lord's (house)," from kyrios "ruler, lord." For vowel evolution, see bury. Gk. kyriakon (adj.) "of the Lord" was used of houses of Christian worship since c.300, especially in the East, though it was less common in this sense than ekklesia or basilike. An example of the direct Gk.-to-Gmc. progress of many Christian words, via the Goths; it was probably used by W.Gmc. people in their pre-Christian period. Also picked up by Slavic, via Gmc. (cf. O.Slav. criky, Rus. cerkov). Romance and Celtic languages use variants of L. ecclesia. Slang church key for "can or bottle opener" is from 1950s. Church-mouse, proverbial in many languages for its poverty, is 1731 in Eng.
A group of Christians; church is a biblical word for “assembly.” It can mean any of the following: (1) All Christians, living and dead. (Seesaints.) (2) All Christians living in the world. (3) One of the large divisions or denominations of Christianity, such as the Eastern Orthodox Church, Methodist Church, or Roman Catholic Church. (4) An individual congregation of Christians meeting in one building; also the building itself.
[Chapter:] World Literature, Philosophy, and Religion
Church Creek, MD (town, FIPS 17050) Location: 38.50531 N, 76.15473 W Population (1990): 113 (52 housing units) Area: 0.8 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 21622
Church View, VA Zip code(s): 23032
Church Road, VA Zip code(s): 23833
Church Point, LA (town, FIPS 15465) Location: 30.40385 N, 92.21446 W Population (1990): 4677 (1743 housing units) Area: 7.1 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 70525
Church Hill, TN (town, FIPS 14980) Location: 36.52526 N, 82.71197 W Population (1990): 4834 (2004 housing units) Area: 16.3 sq km (land), 0.1 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 37642
Church Hill, MS Zip code(s): 39055
Church Hill, MD (town, FIPS 17100) Location: 39.14357 N, 75.98071 W Population (1990): 481 (200 housing units) Area: 1.1 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 21623
Union Church, MS Zip code(s): 39668
Spring Church, PA Zip code(s): 15686
New Church, VA Zip code(s): 23415
Lebanon Church, VA Zip code(s): 22641
Falls Church, VA (city, FIPS 27200) Location: 38.88505 N, 77.17456 W Population (1990): 9578 (4668 housing units) Area: 5.2 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 22046
Wicomico Church, VA Zip code(s): 22579
Shaker Church, WA (CDP, FIPS 63550) Location: 48.05278 N, 122.22711 W Population (1990): 670 (208 housing units) Area: 12.8 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Falls Church, VA (city, FIPS 610) Location: 38.88505 N, 77.17456 W Population (1990): 9578 (4668 housing units) Area: 5.2 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Church\, n. [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. [,c][=u]ra hero, Zend. [,c]ura strong, OIr. caur, cur, hero. Cf. Kirk.]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. Note: 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. Apostolic church. See under Apostolic. Broad church. See Broad Church. Catholic or Universalchurch, the whole body of believers in Christ throughout the world. Church of England, or English church, the Episcopal church established and endowed in England by law. Church living, a benefice in an established church. Church militant. See under Militant. Church owl (Zo["o]l.), the white owl. See Barn owl. Church rate, a tax levied on parishioners for the maintenance of the church and its services. Church session. See under Session. Church triumphant. See under Triumphant. Church work, work on, or in behalf of, a church; the work of a particular church for the spread of religion. Established church, the church maintained by the civil authority; a state church.
Church\, n. [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. [,c][=u]ra hero, Zend. [,c]ura strong, OIr. caur, cur, hero. Cf. Kirk.]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. Note: 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. Apostolic church. See under Apostolic. Broad church. See Broad Church. Catholic or Universalchurch, the whole body of believers in Christ throughout the world. Church of England, or English church, the Episcopal church established and endowed in England by law. Church living, a benefice in an established church. Church militant. See under Militant. Church owl (Zo["o]l.), the white owl. See Barn owl. Church rate, a tax levied on parishioners for the maintenance of the church and its services. Church session. See under Session. Church triumphant. See under Triumphant. Church work, work on, or in behalf of, a church; the work of a particular church for the spread of religion. Established church, the church maintained by the civil authority; a state church.
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Audio Help [church] Pronunciation Key 
