adjective
-
of or relating to public worship
-
of or relating to the liturgy
Other Word Forms
- antiliturgic adjective
- antiliturgical adjective
- antiliturgically adverb
- liturgically adverb
- nonliturgic adjective
- nonliturgical adjective
- nonliturgically adverb
Etymology
Origin of liturgical
1635–45; < Medieval Latin lītūrgic ( us ) < Late Greek leitourgikós ministering ( leitourg ( ós ) minister + -ikos -ic; liturgy ) + -al 1
Explanation
Anything liturgical is related to a public religious service or ritual. An example of something liturgical is the Catholic service when the Eucharist (wine and sacramental bread, also known as the blood and body of Christ) is given. If you hear about a liturgical tradition or liturgical reading, you can be sure of one thing — it involves a religious service. The liturgy is a set way of doing a religious ritual, so anything liturgical usually happens in a church. Other times, a liturgical ceremony could be part of some other tradition, ritual, or service. Religious scholars and clergy are experts on liturgical matters.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That involves “rising before dawn to begin the day with liturgical prayer and returning to church periodically during the day for further prayer together.”
From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026
With spectacular fecundity, Bach churned out one masterpiece after another in meeting his liturgical deadlines, and they stand as one of the proudest explorations of the human imagination.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026
“Missa Solemnis” follows the standard mass text but doesn’t necessarily follow the liturgical narrative.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026
By 08:30, archbishops and bishops will gather in the Constantine Wing, adjacent to the basilica, wearing liturgical clothes including simple white miter.
From BBC • Apr. 22, 2025
Nelson came home once and asked me what the words meant, assuming they were liturgical.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
