1
: of or relating to a church especially as an established institution
2
: suitable for use in a church
Examples of ecclesiastical in a Sentenceecclesiastical laws that have been in existence for centuries
Recent Examples on the Web Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback. In an initial ruling in March, Walsh sided with the OCA, the largest of three Russian Orthodox ecclesiastical bodies in the United States. —Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 5 June 2025 Because the actual date of the spring equinox can differ by a day or two, the Catholic Church created a fixed date of March 21 to define it, known as the ecclesiastical equinox. —Carlie Procell, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2025 That changed with ecclesiastical reforms introduced under Pope Gregory X, who mandated a minimum 10-day waiting period to allow time for prayer and reflection—and for distant cardinals to travel to Rome. —Barney Henderson, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025 Despite the fact that nobody present has any interest in ecclesiastical architecture, the meetings are hot with petty slights, indignant stares, fragile alliances and hostile incursions. —New York Times, 3 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for ecclesiastical Word HistoryEtymology
Middle English ecclesiasticall, from Late Latin ecclēsiasticus "of the Christian Church" + Middle English -all -al entry 1 — more at ecclesiastic entry 1
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of ecclesiastical was in the 15th century Cite this Entry“Ecclesiastical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ecclesiastical. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Last Updated: 30 Jun 2025 - Updated example sentencesLove words? Need even more definitions?
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