adj
ecclesiastical
uh-KLEE-zee-a-stih-kuhl
adj
1
Relating to a church or its organisation and clergy.
"The bishop presided over the ecclesiastical court."
"Ecclesiastical law once governed marriage and inheritance in England."
How to Use Ecclesiastical
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo do with the church — its buildings, officials, laws, or organisation.
Common pairings
ecclesiastical law
ecclesiastical history
ecclesiastical authority
Word Forms
more ecclesiastical comparative, most ecclesiastical superlative
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The bishop presided over the _____ court.
Etymology
From Latin ecclesiasticus, ultimately from Greek ekklēsía, "assembly" or "congregation" — the same root behind the word "church" in several languages.