established church

American  

noun

1. a church that is recognized by law, and sometimes financially supported, as the official church of a nation.

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Established Church British  

noun

1. a Church that is officially recognized as a national institution, esp the Church of England

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established church ¹ Cultural  

1. A church supported by the government as a national institution. The Church of England is an established church in England, as is the Lutheran Church in the countries of Scandinavia and the Presbyterian Church in Scotland.

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established church ² Cultural  

1. A religious denomination that receives financial and other support from the government, often to the exclusion of support for other denominations. (See under “World Literature, Philosophy, and Religion.”)

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Etymology

Origin of established church

First recorded in 1650–60

Example Sentences

The Saints are not affiliated with an established church in Australia and count around two dozen members from three families among its members.

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2025

Before it was formed after the American Revolution, Anglicanism was the established church of the Virginia colony.

From Washington Post • Aug. 14, 2022

“Cures and charms go way beyond the established church, it predates Christianity,” Dr. Moore said.

From New York Times • Dec. 20, 2021

When the United States was founded, most countries around the world had an established church or religion—an officially sponsored set of religious beliefs and values.

From Textbooks • Jul. 28, 2021

This body operated through the branches of the established church, the ministrations of which were first limited to a few places in Virginia, New York, Maryland, and the cities of Boston and Philadelphia.

From The History of the Negro Church by Woodson, Carter Godwin