High Church

American  

adjective

(sometimes lowercase)

1. pertaining to the view or practice in the Anglican church that emphasizes the Catholic tradition, especially in adherence to sacraments, rituals, and obedience to church authority.

---

High Church British  

noun

1. the party or movement within the Church of England stressing continuity with Catholic Christendom, the authority of bishops, and the importance of sacraments, rituals, and ceremonies Compare Broad Church Low Church

---

adjective

1. of or relating to this party or movement

Other Word Forms

• High Churchman noun
• High-Churchman noun

Etymology

Origin of High Church

First recorded in 1695–1705

Compare meaning

How does high-church compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• High Church vs. Low Church

Example Sentences

The outdoor area at Yarm Wellness, on the corner of West Street and High Church Wynd, will officially open to the public at 13:30 BST on Saturday.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

I remember what it was like before — being in a brightly lit library, feet on the floor, books in front of me, the High Church of authority very much intact.

From New York Times • Jan. 30, 2018

He is nostalgic and wistful, and his verse settles on the immutability of country lanes and thatched inns and of High Church Anglicanism.

From Washington Post • Aug. 5, 2016

The author would later write, “Had we not High Church and Low Church among our ordinary bishops … we should miss much that we feel to be ornamental to the Establishment and useful to ourselves.”

From Slate • Jul. 28, 2016

They put me in mind of a violent High Church Factor, resident some time in Boston, when I was a Boy.

From Benjamin Franklin; Self-Revealed, Volume II (of 2) A Biographical and Critical Study Based Mainly on his own Writings by Bruce, Wiliam Cabell