Meanings
nounfree church (plural free churches)
plural free churches
- ChristianityA Christian denomination that is intrinsically separate from government, and neither defines government policy nor accepts theology, policy, or funding from the state.
Origin
Popularised in the late 19th century on the model of the Scottish Free Church formed in 1843.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
free church. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/free%20church
MLA
“free church.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/free%20church. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “free church,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/free%20church.
Source: free church on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.