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

A poignant moment as three bell tolls marking the end of a minute's silence in the cathedral was briefly interrupted by a mobile phone alarm going off.

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

At the end of the service, four F-35 fighter jets flew over the cathedral in a "missing man" formation.

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

That night, I had dinner in a garden and walked back past the cathedral, enormous and silent in the dark.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

The main library was like an old-world cathedral, with high ceilings and glossy hardwood tables where we could lay out our textbooks and study in silence.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

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

While walking the Becket Way, her group will join prayer services at churches, cathedrals and abbeys, as well as meeting with other pilgrims and visiting schools.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 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 paper survives as a husk, but the institution that became one of the cathedrals of world journalism is gone.

From Slate ● Feb. 5, 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