liturgy
LIT-er-jee
/ˈlɪt.ə.dʒi/
A standardized form or set of rites prescribed for public religious worship.
Refers to the official public script and structure of a religious service, distinct from private individual prayer.
The story behind the word. In ancient Athens, a leitourgia was a mandatory public service or civic duty financed by wealthy citizens for the city state. Early Christians repurposed the term to mean public worship carried out on behalf of the community.
Word relationships
- service: Service is generic for a religious gathering; liturgy specifies the standardized ritual text and order.
- ritual: Ritual applies to any recurring set of actions; liturgy is specifically communal public worship.
- spontaneity: Spontaneity is unscripted action without set rules.
Commonly confused with
- litany: Litany is a specific repetitive prayer list or monotonous recital; liturgy is the entire structure of public worship.
Word family
- liturgical (adjective): Relating to liturgy or public worship.
- liturgist (noun): An expert in liturgical forms.
Collocations
- divine liturgy
- liturgy of the Word
- traditional liturgy
- liturgical music
Example sentences
- "The Church revised its Sunday liturgy to allow services to be held in local languages." Church History
- "Ancient liturgies preserve prayers and chants that date back to early Christian communities." Theology
Memory hook
LITurgy = LITERATURE for public church service. The public script of worship.
When not to use
Do not use to describe informal, spontaneous prayer meetings or individual habits.
Fun facts
- In ancient Greece, sponsoring a tragic play or building a warship were both official 'liturgies'.
Related words
Explore more words
ritual, standardized, observance, piety, customary, etiquette
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