high church
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Term used in contradistinction from "Low Church."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “high church” mean?
Term used in contradistinction from "Low Church."
Is “high church” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.