Definition

Noun: A religious education class or meeting held on Sundays, typically for children, focusing on biblical instruction and spiritual development. It is often associated with Christian denominations.

Usage

• As a subject or activity: Refers to the Sunday school program itself.
• As a place or institution: Can refer to the physical location or the organized group where this instruction occurs.

Examples

• The children attend sabbath school every Sunday morning before the main church service.
• She teaches a class in the sabbath school.
• The church is expanding its sabbath school curriculum for teenagers.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used more broadly within some Christian traditions to refer to the study of the Bible and religious principles on the Sabbath day, not exclusively for children.
• In historical contexts, it may refer to the Sunday school movement aimed at providing basic education and religious instruction.

Variants and Related Words

• Sunday school: A more common and general synonym.
• Bible school: Often used interchangeably, though it can imply a more intensive or vacation-time program.
• Church school: A broader term that may include other religious education programs.

Synonyms

• Sunday school
• Bible class
• Religious instruction class

Notes

• While "Sabbath school" is the specific term requested, "Sunday school" is the far more prevalent and universally understood term in modern English for this concept.
• The term is often capitalized as "Sabbath School" when referring to a specific program or denomination's official name for it (e.g., in Seventh-day Adventist churches).

Noun

1. school meeting on Sundays for religious instruction