Churchwoman

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A female member of a Christian congregation who takes part in its worship and activities ; a woman who serves in a church's official or pastoral capacity
2. A woman who belongs to a church and attends its services ; a female minister or lay leader who holds an active role within the church
3. A woman affiliated with a religious congregation through membership ; a female cleric or lay officer carrying out duties for her church

Etymology: "Churchwoman" is a plain compound: "church" joined to "woman," with no hidden twist in its making. Its meaning follows directly from its parts, so it names a woman who belongs to a church, the female counterpart of "churchman." The first element traces back to Old English "cirice," which came from Greek "kyriakon," meaning "the Lord's house," a word built on "kyrios," "lord." The second element, "woman," is a native English word, the older "wifman" that was later reshaped. Pairing the two produces a compound that describes a person by religious affiliation rather than by any office or rank.