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• kirk
  kirk

  noun

  a church.
• Kirk
  Kirk

  noun

  Grayson (Louis), 1903–1997, U.S. educator: president of Columbia University 1953–68.

kirk

¹ American  

[kurk, kirk] / kɜrk, kɪrk /

noun

1. Chiefly Scot. and North England. a church.

2. the Kirk, the Church of Scotland (Presbyterian), as distinguished from the Church of England or the Scottish Episcopal Church.

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Kirk ² American  

[kurk] / kɜrk /

noun

1. Grayson (Louis), 1903–1997, U.S. educator: president of Columbia University 1953–68.

2. a male given name.

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kirk ¹ British  

/ kɜːk, kɪrk /

noun

1. a Scot word for church

2. a Scottish church

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Kirk ² British  

/ kɜːk, kɪrk /

noun

1. informal the Presbyterian Church of Scotland

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Kirk ³ British  

/ kɜːk /

noun

1. Norman. 1923–74, prime minister of New Zealand (1972–74)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• kirklike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of kirk

1150–1200; Middle English (north and Scots ) < Old Norse kirkja church

Example Sentences

About 100 people from all aspects of Scottish life will take part in the cavalcade along the Royal Mile, arriving at the historic kirk at about 13:30.

From BBC • Jul. 4, 2023

Members of the community, school groups and charities donate, create and decorate trees for the event so that people can share in the heritage of the kirk.

From BBC • Dec. 23, 2022

"How is charlie kirk 28?," chimed Hanna Gais, a senior research analyst at the Southern Poverty Law Center.

From Salon • Feb. 14, 2022

Along the low Ayrshire coast it is all boats and fishing and drinking your ale or "whusky" and going to the kirk.

From Time Magazine Archive

The former situate in Sydney Street, was built in 1850, and Rev. Dr. Thompson, afterwards an eminent divine of New York, was its first pastor, and preached the opening sermon in the new kirk.

From The Story of the Great Fire in St. John, N.B., June 20th, 1877 by Stewart, George