What is the etymology of 'iglesia'?
I am not familiar with the derivation of "iglesia".
2 Answers
It comes from the Greek word ???????? (ekkl?sía = church).
It originates from the verb ?????? (ekkalo), but the stem ??????- of the adjective ???????? (ekklet-os) is used. "??????" (ekkalo) consists of "??" (ek = from) and "????" (kalo = to call, to invite), meaning to invite people (from a larger group of people) in order to build a team.
You can find such information by consulting the RAE online.
According to the entry for iglesia, the word is derived from the Latin eccles?a which in turn was derived from the Greek word ???????? (ekkl?sia).
Interestingly, the Greek word "????????," which is commonly translated as “church” in English Bibles, is probably more properly translated as "assembly," "gathering," "meeting" or "congregation."
You might also recognize the Latin root in such English words as "ecclesiastical (of the church, the organization of the church)," "ecclesia (members of a church; a church building) and "Ecclesiastes (Used in the Septuagint translation of the Hebrew bible for the term ???????? (qoheleth) or preacher—a collector of sentences; one who calls together a congregation)."
