cathedral
cathedral meaning
On a trip to Europe, many visitors appreciate the stunning architecture of large churches known as cathedrals.
The word cathedral comes from a Latin word meaning “seat.” The seat referred to is the seat of the bishop, who is the leader of a group of churches related to the cathedral. The bishop’s seat is both a metaphor for the cathedral as the bishop’s “seat of power” and his actual chair, the “cathedra,” inside the cathedral. Originally a cathedral was called a “cathedral church,” with cathedral as an adjective, but it is now a noun.
Definitions of cathedral
-
the principal Christian church building of a bishop’s diocese
-
any large and important church
examples:- Chartres Cathedral
a Gothic cathedral in northern France; built in 13th century
- Westminster Abbey
a famous Gothic church of St. Peter in Westminster, London on the site of a former Benedictine monastery
types:
- minster
any of certain cathedrals and large churches; originally connected to a monastery
type of:
- church, church building
a place for public (especially Christian) worship
- Chartres Cathedral
-
relating to or containing or issuing from a bishop’s office or throne
“a
cathedral church”
Word Family