/ tʃɜːtʃ; NAmE tʃɜːrtʃ/ noun
1.
[ C ] a building where Christians go to worship :
a church tower
The procession moved into the church.
church services
2.
[ U ] a service or services in a church :
How often do you go to church ?
( BrE )
They're at church (= attending a church service) .
( NAmE )
They're in church .
Church is at 9 o'clock.
➡ note at school
3.
Church [ C ] a particular group of Christians :
the Anglican Church
the Catholic Church
the Free Churches
—see also denomination
4.
(the) Church [ sing. ] the ministers of the Christian religion; the institution of the Christian religion :
The Church has a duty to condemn violence.
the conflict between Church and State
to go into the Church (= to become a Christian minister)
•
IDIOMS
see broad adjective
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English cir(i)ce , cyr(i)ce , related to Dutch kerk and German Kirche , based on medieval Greek kurikon , from Greek kuriakon (dōma) Lord's (house), from kurios master or lord. Compare with kirk .