religious service
- noun
- /rɪˈlɪdʒəs ˈsɜrvɪs/
- Many people gather every Sunday for a traditional religious service at the local church.
- attend religious service
- religious service attendance
- weekly religious service
The number of Americans who said they never attended religious services doubled.
- The number of Americans who said they never attended religious services doubled.
Examples
-
Respondents were asked how often they attended religious services during the past year.
Academic text (2005) -
Each evening there was a religious service in the church, and so we always went to church.
Academic text (1998) -
There has never been a religious service for us in this place.
-
The number of Americans who said they never attended religious services doubled.
-
In addition, over 52% of participants reported attending a religious service either more than once a week or every week.
Academic text (2011) -
During any one week, there are several million people of all denominations in a religious service of some kind.
Academic text (2000) -
The caregivers attended religious services frequently and felt that religion was an important part of their lives.
Academic text (1993) -
The same holds true for those who regularly (once a week or more) attend religious services.
Academic text (2002) -
In retrospect, it is not surprising that the mass demonstrations in Leipzig followed Monday evening religious services.
Academic text (1996) -
At the entrance to St. Paul's, the queen's carriage halted for an open-air religious service.
Academic text (1997)
Synonyms
A religious meeting for public worship, often in a church
A religious service for Christians
A church service that follows set words and actions
A planned public worship service with fixed prayers and actions
A meeting in a church where people pray, sing, and listen to a talk
A short religious service often held at a school
A religious meeting where people talk to God and sing songs
A formal event where people meet to show shared beliefs with prayers and rituals
A ceremony with set actions from a religion like prayers and singing
A formal ceremony that people follow as part of a religion
A short religious service often for private prayer
A set of prayers that priests and some laypeople say at set times each day
A public ceremony in a church where people pray and sing
A short religious meeting in a small church with prayers and songs
A set way churches use for worship with prayers and hymns
A formal church service with set ceremonies and a serious mood
How Formal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is directly compositional: 'religious' (relating to religion) modifies 'service' (a public ceremony), so the combined meaning 'a public act of worship' follows straightforwardly from the parts. This is a common, cross-linguistic noun + modifier pattern and would be clear to a B1 learner who knows both words.
Etymology
The noun religious service comes from the old meaning of service as work done for God: people would gather to say prayers and sing to 'serve' or honour God, often led by a priest or leader. So religious service now means a public act of 'worship' where people meet together.