WordGarden.ioliturgy
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /lˈɪtɜːdʒi/
US
- /ˈlɪtərdʒi/
Meanings
Noun
the prescribed form of public religious worship or a service conducted according to it
Beyond the definition
This word is mainly about public worship. It refers to the fixed order of prayers, readings, and actions used in a religious service. Think of the set pattern of a Catholic Mass, an Orthodox service, or another formal service where the words and actions follow an established form.
The word comes from Greek roots meaning "public work." Today, it is mostly used in religious contexts, especially in Christianity, though it can sometimes be used more loosely for any formal and repeated pattern of public ritual. In simple terms, it is the "set form" that gives a worship service its shape.
Liturgy refers to the prescribed order of prayers, readings, responses, and ceremonies in a public act of worship. It is not just about what happens, but about the established form in which it happens: the words that are said, the actions that are performed, and the sequence everyone follows together. You can see this in the familiar pattern of a Catholic Mass, the structure of many Orthodox services, or the ordered prayers and readings used in other Christian traditions.
Originally, the word came from ancient Greek and referred to a public service or duty carried out for the community. Over time, its meaning became closely tied to religious worship, especially Christian worship. That is still its main use in modern English.
Sometimes people also use the word more loosely for a fixed, repeated pattern of public ritual or ceremony outside religion, but that is a secondary use. In most cases, if someone mentions liturgy, they mean the formal structure of a worship service. The key idea is order, repetition, and shared ritual: a community following an accepted form that gives the service its meaning and shape.
Examples
- 1
Church service
The church changed the time of the Sunday liturgy.
- 2
Shared worship
During the liturgy, people stood, knelt, and responded together.
- 3
Traditional prayers
The priest followed the traditional liturgy, using the same prayers and readings each week.
- 4
Sung service
In some churches, the whole liturgy is sung rather than spoken.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Remembrance ceremony
After the fire, the community created a simple liturgy of remembrance.
- Phrasea liturgy of remembrance
a formal ceremony with prayers or repeated words for remembering someone or something
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- liturgynoun
Forms
- liturgiespluralnoun