Churchgoing

/ˈtʃɜːtʃɡoʊɪŋ/ adjective, noun

Definition

Attending or involving regular attendance at church services; the practice or habit of regularly attending church.

Etymology

A gerund or present participle form of the phrasal verb 'church-go,' or a compound adjective meaning 'characterized by attending church.' The -ing suffix creates both verbal nouns and adjectives describing continuous action.

Kelly Says

Churchgoing is interesting because it can be an adjective (a churchgoing person) or a noun (churchgoing was common), showing how English words can shift roles. It became especially prominent in the 1800s when Victorians made church attendance a marker of respectability.

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