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definitions

High Church

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adjective (sometimes lowercase)

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.
Compare Low Church, Broad Church.See also Anglo-Catholic.

Origin of High Church

First recorded in 1695–1705
Related formsHigh Churchman, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for high church

Historical Examples of high church

  • That certainly was a high-church dinner—that one tonight was.

    Ladies and Gentlemen 

    Irvin S. (Irvin Shrewsbury) Cobb

  • The High-Church party owes him canonization, as I said to the bishop yesterday.

  • His position as a High-Church Whig, however, was an anomalous one.

  • "He is undoubtedly the just fruit of our own toleration," repeated the high-church rector.

    The Seeker

    Harry Leon Wilson

  • This man was dressed something in the style of our own High-Church divines, except that his black coat was longer, I think.

    Willing to Die

    Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

British Dictionary definitions for high church

High Church

noun

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 ceremoniesCompare Broad Church, Low Church

adjective High-Church

of or relating to this party or movement
Derived FormsHigh-Churchman, noun
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