bethel
noun
a sacred area or sanctuary.
bethel
1 American
[beth-uhl]
/ ˈbɛθ əl /
noun
-
a sacred area or sanctuary.
-
a church or hostel for sailors.
Bethel
2
American
[beth-uhl, beth-el, beth-el]
/ ˈbɛθ əl, ˈbɛθ ɛl, ˌbɛθˈɛl /
noun
-
a village near Jerusalem.
-
a town in southwestern Connecticut.
Bethel
British
/ ˈbɛθəl /
noun
-
an ancient town in the West Bank, near Jerusalem: in the Old Testament, the place where the dream of Jacob occurred (Genesis 28:19)
-
a chapel of any of certain Nonconformist Christian sects
-
a seamen's chapel
Etymology
Origin of bethel
First recorded in 1610–20, bethel is from Hebrew bēth 'ēl “house of God”
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.
Don’t Miss: Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the former Woodstock site, hosts open-air concerts and a small museum.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
The morning after giving birth, June awakens in her bed to find her baby gone; Bethel and Beauty are at the kitchen table in tears.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026
Bethel found able allies in Will Jacks, who bagged three wickets, while fellow tweakers Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson chipped in with one apiece to keep the hosts on a tight leash.
From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026
Lian Amari and Robert Fisher have six kids living at home in Bethel Park, Pa. The couple worries about paying for groceries, after-school activities and healthcare, especially after recent increases to their insurance premiums.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 3, 2025
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Bethel Park High Football Team, of which Mr. Wright was a starting running back.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
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.
