German Conversation · Level 117
45 words
German word
kirchlich
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈkɪɐ̯çlɪç/
Meaning
- adjectivechurch
Example
Die kirchliche Gemeinde trifft sich sonntags.
The church congregation meets on Sundays.
More examples
Zur Weihnachtszeit hört man oft kirchliche Musik.
During the Christmas season, one often hears church music.
Core concept
The organized life of a church, including its community, institutions, worship, and rites.
Common phrases
kirchliche Musik
church music
kirchliche Tradition
church tradition
Similar words
religiös: Concerned with religion or faith in a broad, general sense.
geistlich: Concerned with clergy or with an individual's spiritual life.
Definition in German
Zu einer Kirche gehörig oder von ihr geprägt und sich auf kirchliche Institutionen oder Riten beziehend.
Word origin
Kirchlich combines Kirche, from Old High German kirihha, with the adjectival suffix -lich.
Usage tips
- Kirchlich usually concerns the church as an institution or its official rites, whereas geistlich more often concerns spiritual or clerical matters.
Other meanings
- ecclesiasticaladjective
Opposites
- säkularsecularadjective
Related words
- außerkirchlichnon-ecclesiasticaladjective
- Kirchlichkeitecclesiastical characternoun