Ecclesia
/ɪˈkliː.zi.ə/noun
A church or a Christian congregation, especially in historical or ecclesiastical contexts.
Did you know?Ecclesia comes from Greek *ekklēsia*, the public assembly of citizens, from *ek-* “out” + *kalein* “to call,” and its spiritual meaning was borrowed by early Christians from a word for civic gathering.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kel-
“to call, shout, or summon”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἐκκαλεῖν (*ekkalein*)
“to call out, summon”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἐκκλησία (*ekklēsia)
“an assembly of citizens; later, a congregation”
Late Latin
Latin
ecclesia
“the Christian church; congregation”
Old French
Old French
église
“church”
Modern English
English
ecclesia
“a church or assembly in learned, historical, or ecclesiastical use”