church door

noun

A door to a church, especially the front door (or double doors) that open directly to the narthex or nave, often ornate.

OriginMiddle English chirche dore ← Old English ċiriċdor →
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Meanings

nounchurch door (plural church doors)

plural church doors · alternative churchdoor · alternative church-door

  1. A door to a church, especially the front door (or double doors) that open directly to the narthex or nave, often ornate.

Origin

  1. Old Englishċiriċdor
  2. Middle Englishchirche dore
  3. Englishchurch door

From Middle English chirche dore, from Old English ċiriċdor, ċyriċdor (“church door”), equivalent to church + door. Cognate with West Frisian tsjerkedoar (“church door”), Dutch kerkdeur (“church door”), German Kirchentür (“church door”), Danish kirkedør (“church door”), Icelandic kirkjudyr (“church door”).

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch kerkdeur
  • kerkdeurTranslations
German Kirchentür
  • KirchentürTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

church door. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/church%20door

MLA

“church door.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/church%20door. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “church door,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/church%20door.

Source: church door on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.