(~es)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
A ~ is a building in which Christians worship. You usually refer to this place as ~ when you are talking about the time that people spend there.
...one of Britain’s most historic ~es.
...St Helen’s Church...
I didn’t see you in ~ on Sunday.
N-VAR
2.
A Church is one of the groups of people within the Christian religion, for example Catholics or Methodists, that have their own beliefs, clergy, and forms of worship.
...co-operation with the Catholic Church...
Church leaders said he was welcome to return.
N-COUNT: usu with supp, oft adj N, N of n