established church
noun
a church that is recognized by law, and sometimes financially supported, as the official church of a nation.
Also called
state church.
Compare
national church.
Origin of established church
First recorded in 1650–60
Words nearby established church
essonne,
est,
est.,
estab.,
establish,
established church,
establishment,
establishmentarian,
estafette,
estaing, d',
estamin
British Dictionary definitions for established church
Established Church
noun
a Church that is officially recognized as a national institution, esp the Church of England
Cultural definitions for established church (1 of 2)
established church
A religious denomination that receives financial and other support from the government, often to the exclusion of support for other denominations. (See under “World Literature, Philosophy, and Religion.”)
Cultural definitions for established church (2 of 2)
established church
A church supported by the government as a national institution. The Church of England is an established church in England, as is the Lutheran Church in the countries of Scandinavia and the Presbyterian Church in Scotland.