lectern

[ lek-tern ]

/ ˈlɛk tərn /

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See synonyms for lectern on Thesaurus.com

noun

a reading desk in a church on which the Bible rests and from which the lessons are read during the church service.

a stand with a slanted top, used to hold a book, speech, manuscript, etc., at the proper height for a reader or speaker.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of lectern

1275–1325; earlier lectron(e), late Middle English lectryn<Medieval Latin lēctrīnum, derivative of lēctrum lectern, equivalent to Latin leg(ere) to read + -trum instrumental suffix; replacing Middle English letroun, lettorne<Middle French letrun<Medieval Latin lēctrum, as above

Words nearby lectern

Leclanché cell, Leconte de Lisle, Le Corbusier, Le Creusot, lect, lectern, lectin, lection, lectionary, lector, lectotype

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use lectern in a sentence

He then turned the lectern back over to press secretary Jen Psaki.
Fauci, unchained|Philip Bump|January 21, 2021|Washington Post
Additionally, someone who has a mutual friend with Johnson called the FBI to report that he was the man in the photo with the lectern.
The Capitol rioters put themselves all over social media. Now they’re getting arrested.|Sara Morrison|January 12, 2021|Vox
Late Sunday afternoon, Rivera stood behind a lectern in a room outside the Washington locker room, looked into a television screen filled with the faces of reporters at his postgame news conference and exhaled deeply.
Another tough loss has Washington at 2-6, but it’s too soon to give up on its NFC East hopes|Les Carpenter|November 8, 2020|Washington Post
Very few people ever get a chance to kind of sit at the lectern and kind of essentially be the voice of a president for much of the world.
Full Transcript: Sean Spicer on ‘The Carlos Watson Show’|Daniel Malloy|August 26, 2020|Ozy

That you had one of the most important lecterns, and whether it was about crowd size or other things … that as smart a guy as you are, you didn’t tell the truth and that you did damage to the Republic.
Full Transcript: Sean Spicer on ‘The Carlos Watson Show’|Daniel Malloy|August 26, 2020|Ozy
In another photo pair, a crowd listens to a speaker at a lectern in a light-filled conference hall.
Japan's James Bond Villain Ghost Town|Nina Strochlic|August 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Guantanamo is not necessary to keep us safe,” he said, tapping at the lectern.
Congress Cooperates, Obama Pushes Hard, and Closing Gitmo Has a Chance|Daniel Klaidman|December 12, 2013|DAILY BEAST
When the court came to order, he approached a lectern and stood at attention.
From PTSD to Prison: Why Veterans Become Criminals|Matthew Wolfe|July 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Vicki Jackson, a Harvard Law professor, rises to the lectern and begins her remarks.
Justices Dance Around Procedure, but DOMA Is Still About Discrimination|Adam Winkler|March 27, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He was not projecting outward to a crowd like a professor at a lectern.
Election Night 2012: Fashion of Jubilation And Mourning|Robin Givhan|November 7, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The lectern, as the pulpit-stand in English churches is called, was fashioned of oak taken from Nelson's flagship, the Victory.
British Highways And Byways From A Motor Car|Thomas D. Murphy
Parson John looked greyer than usual as he conducted the service and stood at the lectern to read the Lessons.
The Fourth Watch|H. A. Cody
The fine wooden lectern of very late Gothic design has well-carved angels kneeling on the four supporting legs.
Cathedral Cities of Italy|William Wiehe Collins
The lectern he had done his best to burnish; but it was still a cripple from the fire.
Peccavi|E. W. Hornung
There was nothing but the saw for these, and Carlton had already sawn the lectern from its grave.
Peccavi|E. W. Hornung

British Dictionary definitions for lectern

lectern

/ (ˈlɛktən) /

noun

a reading desk or support in a church

any similar desk or support

Word Origin for lectern

C14: from Old French lettrun, from Late Latin lectrum, ultimately from legere to read

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

lectern

Origin of lectern

Words nearby lectern

Words related to lectern

How to use lectern in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lectern

Word Origin for lectern