worship

[ wur-ship ]
See synonyms for worship on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred.

  2. formal or ceremonious rendering of such honor and homage: They attended worship this morning.

  1. adoring reverence or regard: excessive worship of business success.

  2. the object of adoring reverence or regard.

  3. (initial capital letter)British. a title of honor used in addressing or mentioning certain magistrates and others of high rank or station (usually preceded by Your,His, or Her).

verb (used with object),wor·shiped, wor·ship·ing or wor·shipped, wor·ship·ping.
  1. to render religious reverence and homage to.

  2. to feel an adoring reverence or regard for (any person or thing).

verb (used without object),wor·shiped, wor·ship·ing or wor·shipped, wor·ship·ping.
  1. to render religious reverence and homage, as to a deity.

  2. to attend services of divine worship.

  1. to feel an adoring reverence or regard.

Origin of worship

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English noun wors(c)hipe, worthssipe, Old English worthscipe, variant of weorthscipe; Middle English verb derivative of the noun; see origin at worth1, -ship

Other words for worship

Other words from worship

  • wor·ship·er, wor·ship·per, noun
  • wor·ship·ing·ly, adverb
  • mis·wor·ship, verb, mis·wor·shiped, mis·wor·ship·ing or mis·wor·shipped, mis·wor·ship·ping.
  • pre·wor·ship, noun, verb, pre·wor·shiped, pre·wor·ship·ing or pre·wor·shipped, pre·wor·ship·ping.
  • self-wor·ship, noun
  • self-wor·ship·er, self-wor·ship·per, noun
  • self-wor·ship·ing, self-wor·ship·ping, adjective
  • un·wor·shiped, un·wor·shipped, adjective
  • un·wor·ship·ing, un·wor·ship·ping, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use worship in a sentence

  • She was no worshipper of rank or wealth, though a perfect lady in her appearance and manners.

    The World Before Them | Susanna Moodie
  • He was not a worshipper of the god of gold; he loved poetry for itself and preferred beauty to utility—enormous heresy!

    Charles Baudelaire, His Life | Thophile Gautier
  • There is the spire of the church—and thank God, he loves to enter there as a sincere and humble worshipper.

  • The Rudras reach the worshipper with their protection, strong in themselves, they do not fail the sacrificer.

  • He has brought down the wisdom of many a worshipper, he who holds in his hand all manly power.

British Dictionary definitions for worship (1 of 2)

worship

/ (ˈwɜːʃɪp) /


verb-ships, -shipping or -shipped or US -ships, -shiping or -shiped
  1. (tr) to show profound religious devotion and respect to; adore or venerate (God or any person or thing considered divine)

  2. (tr) to be devoted to and full of admiration for

  1. (intr) to have or express feelings of profound adoration

  2. (intr) to attend services for worship

  3. (tr) obsolete to honour

noun
  1. religious adoration or devotion

  2. the formal expression of religious adoration; rites, prayers, etc

  1. admiring love or devotion

  2. archaic dignity or standing

Origin of worship

1
Old English weorthscipe, from worth 1 + -ship

Derived forms of worship

  • worshipable, adjective
  • worshipper, noun

British Dictionary definitions for Worship (2 of 2)

Worship

/ (ˈwɜːʃɪp) /


noun
  1. mainly British (preceded by Your, His, or Her) a title used to address or refer to a mayor, magistrate, or a person of similar high rank

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012