ἐκκλησία
Alt. ἐκκλησία, ἡ,
Etym. ἔκκλητος
I. "an assembly of the citizens regularly summoned, the legislative assembly", Thuc., etc.:—at Athens, the ordinary Assemblies were called κύριαι, the "extraordinary" being σύγκλητοι, ap. Dem.; ἐκκλ. συναγείρειν, συνάγειν, συλλέγειν, ἀθροίζειν to call "an assembly", Hdt., etc.; ἐκκλ. ποιεῖν "to make a house, " Ar.; ἐκκλ. γίγνεται, καθίσταται an assembly "is held", Thuc.; ἐκκλ. διαλύειν, ἀναστῆσαι "to dissolve" it, id=Thuc., etc.; ἀναβάλλειν to adjourn it, id=Thuc.
II. in NTest. "the Church, either the body", or "the place."