cathedral
- the principal church of a diocese, containing the bishop's throne.
- (in nonepiscopal denominations) any of various important churches.
- pertaining to or containing a bishop's throne.
- pertaining to or emanating from a chair of office or authority.
Origin of cathedral
Examples from the Web for cathedral
Contemporary Examples
Can you believe someone could get into a cathedral and do a concert?
Putin’s Hockey Pal Tells All: Slava Fetisov on ‘Red Army,’ Soviet Nostalgia, and What Drives PutinMarlow Stern
October 9, 2014
Hundreds of friends, admirers, and fellow citizens crowd the steps of the cathedral.
They dug, demolished, and dismantled The Cathedral brick by brick, looking for the leftovers of Escobar's fortune.
But, per Escobar's terms of surrender, the only facility in which he could legally be detained was The Cathedral.
I have arranged a meeting with Brother Davide—one of two monks who live at The Cathedral full time.
Historical Examples
The Cathedral itself was only a great black bar in the West.
The DreamEmile Zola
It was at her right hand, in the second story of a house at the side of the Cathedral.
The DreamEmile Zola
It is full of suggestiveness, and, in its way, is as good as a cathedral.
Tanglewood TalesNathaniel Hawthorne
Venerable's not a nice word to use about anything except a cathedral.
The Foolish LoversSt. John G. Ervine
The 'bus was now rolling over London Bridge, and the Cathedral could not be seen.
The Foolish LoversSt. John G. Ervine
cathedral
- the principal church of a diocese, containing the bishop's official throne
- (as modifier)a cathedral city; cathedral clergy
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for cathedral
n.
1580s, "church of a bishop," from phrase cathedral church (c.1300), partially translating Late Latin ecclesia cathedralis "church of a bishop's seat," from Latin cathedra "an easy chair (principally used by ladies)," also metonymically, e.g. cathedrae molles "luxurious women;" also "a professor's chair;" from Greek kathedra "seat, bench," from kata "down" (see cata-) + hedra "seat, base, chair, face of a geometric solid," from PIE root *sed- (1) "to sit" (see sedentary).
It was born an adjective, and attempts to cobble further adjectivization onto it in 17c. yielded cathedraical (1670s), cathedratic (1660s), cathedratical (1660s), after which the effort seems to have been given up.
cathedral
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.)
cathedral
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.)