megachurch: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, journalistic, academic (religious studies).
Quick answer
What does “megachurch” mean?
An extremely large, usually evangelical Christian church, typically with congregations numbering in the thousands.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An extremely large, usually evangelical Christian church, typically with congregations numbering in the thousands.
Refers to a Protestant church organization characterized by a very large congregational membership (typically over 2,000 weekly attendees), extensive facilities, and often a media presence. The term also connotes a specific, often modern, approach to worship and community structure.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The phenomenon and the term originated in and are most prevalent in the US. In the UK, it is used almost exclusively as a descriptive borrowing from American English to describe very large churches, which are rarer.
Connotations
In American English, the term is widely recognized and carries associations with suburban America, evangelicalism, and modern Christianity. In British English, it is a more marked term, often used with a sense of describing a foreign or notable phenomenon.
Frequency
Much more frequent in American English. In British English, it appears primarily in news and religious studies contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “megachurch” in a Sentence
[attend/visit] + megachurchmegachurch + [pastor/leader/congregation]megachurch + [in/outside of] + [city name][build/found/grow] + [into a] + megachurchVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “megachurch” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [No standard verb usage in British English]
American English
- [No standard verb usage in American English]
adverb
British English
- [No adverb usage]
American English
- [No adverb usage]
adjective
British English
- [Rarely used adjectivally. Preceded by 'megachurch' as a noun modifier, e.g., 'megachurch pastor']
American English
- [Rarely used adjectivally. Preceded by 'megachurch' as a noun modifier, e.g., 'megachurch culture']
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used when discussing the business model, marketing, or financial scale of large religious organizations.
Academic
Used in sociology of religion, religious studies, and cultural studies to describe a modern religious phenomenon.
Everyday
Used in conversation when describing a very large, modern church someone attends or has seen.
Technical
A semi-technical term in religious studies and sociology, sometimes defined by a specific attendance threshold (e.g., >2,000 weekly).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “megachurch”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “megachurch”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “megachurch”
- Misspelling as 'mega church' (should be one word or hyphenated: 'megachurch' or 'mega-church').
- Using it to describe any large historical cathedral (e.g., Notre Dame) – it specifically refers to a modern, often evangelical model.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
While definitions vary, scholars often use a threshold of 2,000 or more attendees at weekly services.
It is primarily descriptive, but it can carry positive connotations of growth and innovation for supporters, and negative connotations of commercialism and impersonality for critics.
No, the model has spread globally (e.g., South Korea, Brazil, Nigeria), but the term and the phenomenon are most associated with the United States.
A cathedral is the seat of a bishop in hierarchical denominations (e.g., Catholic, Anglican). A megachurch is defined by its size and congregational model, is often non-denominational or evangelical, and is typically led by a single charismatic pastor.
An extremely large, usually evangelical Christian church, typically with congregations numbering in the thousands.
Megachurch is usually informal, journalistic, academic (religious studies). in register.
Megachurch: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɛɡətʃəːtʃ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɛɡəˌtʃɝːtʃ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms specific to 'megachurch']”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'mega' (meaning very large, from Greek) + 'church'. A MEGA-sized CHURCH.
Conceptual Metaphor
CHURCH IS A CORPORATION / BUSINESS (implied by the 'mega-' prefix and the associated model).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary connotation of the term 'megachurch'?