mosque
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of mosque
1600–10; earlier mosquee < Middle French < Italian moschea ≪ Arabic masjid, derivative of sajada to worship, literally, prostrate oneself; the -ee seems to have been taken as diminutive suffix and dropped
Compare meaning
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Explanation
The mosque is the traditional Muslim place of worship. Architecturally, it often features a minaret, or onion-shaped dome, on top. Mosque stems from the Arabic word masjid, meaning "temple" or "place of worship." This building is very important religiously and politically, and can be a modest structure or an architectural masterpiece, such as the Great Mosque of Córdoba in Spain. Muslims, or practitioners of Islam, come together here and pray in rows facing in the direction of the holy city of Mecca.
Vocabulary lists containing mosque
World Religions
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The Middle East and Central Asia - Introductory
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The Middle East and Central Asia - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Outside the mosque I met Lisa and her husband, a retired white couple who are both volunteer observers.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
He said that he did go to the mosque every Friday, and that he prayed and fasted and raised his children to be good Muslims.
From Slate • Apr. 19, 2026
Funeral prayers for four of the victims are being held on Thursday in the city's main mosque.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
"This is unusual in Al-Kharj," Abdullah told AFP after afternoon prayers at a local mosque.
From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026
Following Muslim tradition, members of the mosque formally introduced my parents, and they went on only a handful of dates to see if they made a good match.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
