# church

/ˈtʃɝtʃ/ (US) · /tʃˈɜːtʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/church
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a building

noun · CEFR A2

a building where Christians go to pray and have religious services.

For teachers: a building constructed for Christian religious services and communal worship.

- The old stone church stands in the middle of the village square.
- The architect preserved the original stained glass while modernising the church's structural foundations to meet current safety standards.

### 2. a religious service

noun · CEFR A2

a religious meeting or ceremony that happens in a church.

For teachers: a public religious service held in a church building.

- The family usually goes to church on Sunday mornings.
- Attendance at church has fluctuated over the last decade, reflecting broader shifts in the town's demographic and social habits.

Usage: Often used without an article in phrases like 'go to church' or 'after church'.

### 3. a religious organisation

noun · CEFR B1

a specific group of Christians or a whole religious organisation, like the Catholic Church.

For teachers: a particular Christian denomination or the collective body of all Christian believers.

- She is an active member of the local Methodist church.
- The Church issued a formal statement regarding the new legislation, sparking a debate about the separation of religion and state.

### 4. religion as an institution

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

organised religion seen as a powerful force in society or politics.

For teachers: institutionalised religion considered as a social or political entity.

- The constitution describes the separation of church and state.
- Historians often examine the tension between church and crown during the medieval period to understand the evolution of legal systems.

### 6. to educate religiously

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal

to teach someone about religion, usually from a young age.

For teachers: to bring someone under the influence of a church or to provide them with a religious education.

- He was churched in a very strict environment that he later left.
- The mission sought to church the local population through a combination of primary education and charitable works.

## Examples

- The old church has beautiful stained glass windows.
- Many families in the village gather at the local church every Sunday morning for the service.
- The architecture of the medieval church reflects the transition from Romanesque to Gothic styles, featuring both rounded arches and pointed spires.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.