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noun Common

kirk

kurk
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Kirk (noun) means a church, especially in Scottish and northern English usage. Example: “They walked down to the kirk every Sunday morning.”

noun
1
A church, especially in Scottish and northern English usage.
"They walked down to the kirk every Sunday morning."
"The old kirk on the hill has stood for nearly three centuries."
"The wedding took place in the little kirk beside the loch."

How to use kirk

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA Scottish or Northern English word for "church," also used formally for the Church of Scotland.

UK vs US

Common in Scotland and northern England; rarely used in American or southern British English outside of surnames and place names.

Common pairings
the parish kirk kirk elder the auld kirk
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Word forms

Plural
kirks
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

They walked down to the _____ every Sunday morning.

Etymology

From Northern Middle English kyrke, related to Old Norse kirkja and Old English cirice — the same root that gave us "church." Kirk and church are essentially the same word arriving through different regional paths.

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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parish church chapel

Related words

church chapel

Rhymes for kirk

dirk birk shirk smirk
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Frequently asked questions

What does “kirk” mean?
The word “kirk” means a church, especially in Scottish and northern English usage. In plain terms, a Scottish or Northern English word for "church," also used formally for the Church of Scotland.
How do you pronounce “kirk”?
“Kirk” is pronounced kurk (/kɜɹk/ in IPA).
How do you use “kirk” in a sentence?
Here is “kirk” used in a sentence: “They walked down to the kirk every Sunday morning.”
What part of speech is “kirk”?
“Kirk” is a noun.
Where does the word “kirk” come from?
The word “kirk” comes from Old English. From Northern Middle English kyrke, related to Old Norse kirkja and Old English cirice — the same root that gave us "church." Kirk and church are essentially the same word arriving through different regional paths.
Is “kirk” a common word?
“Kirk” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between a kirk and a church?
A kirk is simply a church, especially in Scottish and northern English usage. The word means the same thing as "church" but signals a regional or dialect variant rather than a different type of building.
Is kirk used in standard English outside Scotland?
Kirk is chiefly associated with Scottish and northern English usage rather than standard English generally. Elsewhere, "church" is the more common and widely understood term.
Is Kirk also used as a name?
While kirk as a common noun means church, especially in Scottish usage, the same spelling also appears as a surname and given name, reflecting its regional roots.

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