cathedral

American  

[kuh-thee-druhl] / kəˈθi drəl /

noun

• cathedrals
  plural

1. the principal church of a diocese, containing the bishop's throne.

2. (in nonepiscopal denominations) any of various important churches.

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adjective

1. pertaining to or containing a bishop's throne.

2. pertaining to or emanating from a chair of office or authority.

cathedral British  

/ kəˈθiːdrəl /

noun

1. 1. the principal church of a diocese, containing the bishop's official throne

   2. ( as modifier )

      a cathedral city

      cathedral clergy

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cathedral ¹ Cultural  

1. A church building in which a Christian bishop has his official seat; cathedra is Latin for “chair.” Cathedrals are usually large and imposing, and many have been important in the development of architecture. The building of a cathedral, especially in the Middle Ages, was a project in which the entire town took part. (See Chartres; Notre Dame de Paris; and Saint Paul's Cathedral.)

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cathedral ² Cultural  

1. A Christian church building in which a bishop has his official seat (cathedra is Latin for “chair”). A cathedral is usually large and imposing, and many cathedrals are important in the history of architecture. (See Chartres, Notre Dame de Paris, and Saint Paul's Cathedral.)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• cathedrallike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cathedrals
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cathedral

1250–1300; Middle English < Late Latin cathedrālis ( ecclesia ) a cathedral (church). See cathedra, -al ¹

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cathedral cathedrals

The layout of the home is certainly unique, with an open-concept floor plan that’s heightened with cathedral ceilings and oversized windows.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026

Høiby, who is under house arrest pending appeal, was granted permission to attend the funeral, and sat in the second row during the cathedral ceremony alongside Märtha Louise's children.

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

She summed up her comparison this way: “If you remove the frame of the cathedral, those stained glass windows shatter. They’re useless.”

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

They broke into cheers and applause, cheered again when the eclipse ended, and once more an hour later when the sun set, a burnished ocher illuminating Léon’s cathedral.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

Mrs. Krajewska drinks hers slowly, listening while I explain that I do go to the cathedral on Na Bramie to pray twice a week.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

We would be sipping ice-cold spritzes at cafés overlooking the Mediterranean, frolicking down cobblestone streets lined with charming boutiques, and marveling at the frescoes and marble sculptures adorning grand cathedrals.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

Observe: There are no plants building cathedrals, squirrels gazing at the stars or two AI models on a date night looking into each other’s eyes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026

The model is one of four to have been made from Lego bricks alongside similar builds at Durham, Exeter and Chester cathedrals.

From BBC ● May 26, 2026

“What an incredible opportunity to elevate the sport in a city where you have one of the great cathedrals of the sport,” Wasserman told The Times last year.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 12, 2026

The plan then called for a mammoth floating crane, as tall as one of England’s largest cathedrals, to hook into the framework and raise it upward and sideways to a position directly above the cradle.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler