Church (chûrch), n. [OE. chirche, chireche, cherche, Scot. kirk, from AS. circe, cyrice; akin to D. kerk, Icel. kirkja, Sw. kyrka, Dan. kirke, G. kirche, OHG. chirihha; all fr. Gr. κυριακόν the Lord's house, fr. κυριακόσ concerning a master or lord, fr. κύριοσ master, lord, fr. κυ̑ροσ power, might; akin to Skr. çūra hero, Zend. çura strong, OIr. caur, cur, hero. Cf. Kirk.]
1. A building set apart for Christian worship.
2. A Jewish or heathen temple. Acts xix. 37.
3. A formally organized body of Christian believers worshiping together. “When they had ordained them elders in every church.” Acts xiv. 23.
4. A body of Christian believers, holding the same creed, observing the same rites, and acknowledging the same ecclesiastical authority; a denomination; as, the Roman Catholic church; the Presbyterian church.
5. The collective body of Christians.
6. Any body of worshipers; as, the Jewish church; the church of Brahm.
7. The aggregate of religious influences in a community; ecclesiastical influence, authority, etc.; as, to array the power of the church against some moral evil.
Remember that both church and state are properly the rulers of the people, only because they are their benefactors.
Bulwer.
☞ Church is often used in composition to denote something belonging or relating to the church; as, church authority; church history; church member; church music, etc.
Apostolic church. See under Apostolic. — Broad church. See Broad Church. — Catholic or Universalchurch, the whole body of believers in Christ throughout the world. — Church of England, orEnglish church, the Episcopal church established and endowed in England by law. — Church living, a benefice in an established church. — Church militant. See under Militant. — Church owl(Zoöl.), the white owl. See Barn owl. — Church rate, a tax levied on parishioners for the maintenance of the church and its services. — Church session. See under Session. — Church triumphant. See under Triumphant. — Church work, work on, or in behalf of, a church; the work of a particular church for the spread of religion. — Established church, the church maintained by the civil authority; a state church.