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church

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noun American English pronunciation: church /tʃɜrtʃ/ 
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singularchurch
pluralchurches
Other entries for this word
  1. [countable/uncountable] a building that Christians go to in order to worship. Traditional churches usually contain an altar and long wooden seats facing the altar called pews. The place where the priest or minister stands to talk to the people is called a pulpit. A religious ceremony that takes place in a church is called a service

    an old country church on the side of a hill

    the church of Our Lady and Saint Michael

    go to church (=go to a church to worship):

    She doesn't go to church very often these days.

    in church:

    Did you get married in church?

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of church
    1. a.
      [countable] all the people who go to a particular church
      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of church
    2. b.
      [only before noun] belonging to or connected with a church

      the church choir/doors/funding

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of church
    3. c.
      [countable] a group of Christian churches with its own particular beliefs and structures

      the Methodist Church

      the Roman Catholic Church

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of church
    4. d.
      [uncountable] the Christian religion as a political or official organization, and the people who work for it

      the division between Church and State

      the power of the Church in the Middle Ages

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of church

This is the American English definition of church. View British English definition of church.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to British English.

 

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