worship

What it means

1. uncountableusuallyThe devotion accorded to a deity or to a sacred object.

   Polytheistic theology and worship had to go underground.

   Synonyms: praise

2. especiallyuncountableusuallyCatholicismThe adoration (or latria) owed to God alone, as greater than the hyperdulia that is given to Saint Mary only and the veneration (or dulia) accorded to all other Roman Catholic saints.
3. metonymicallyuncountableusuallyThe religious ceremonies that express this devotion.

   The worſhip of God is an eminent part of Religion; and Prayer, which is often in Scripture expreſſed by ſeeking God, and calling upon his Name, is a chief part of Religious Worſhip.

   1664, John Tillotson, “Sermon I. The Wisdom of Being Religious. Job XXVIII. 28.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: […], 8th edition, London: […] T. Goodwin, B[enjamin] Tooke, and J. Pemberton, […]; J. Round […], and J[acob] Tonson] […], published 1720, →OCLC, page 2

In a sentence

Polytheistic theology and worship had to go underground.

Where it comes from

1. Old Englishweorþsċiepe
2. Middle Englishworschipe /worthschipe
3. Englishworship

Inherited from Middle English worschipe /worthschipe, inherited from Old English weorþsċiepe. Cognate with Scots worschip (“worship”). By surface analysis, wor(th) + -ship.