lectern

American  

[lek-tern] / ˈlɛk tərn /

noun

• lecterns
  plural

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

2. 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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lectern British  

/ ˈlɛktən /

noun

1. a reading desk or support in a church

2. any similar desk or support

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• lecterns
  plural

Etymology

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

Explanation

When the President of The United States gives a speech, he often stands at a wooden lectern featuring the presidential seal. A lectern is a stand on which you can place notes or papers while you lecture. Lecterns often feature a sloped top and a little lamp to make reading from a paper or notes easier. The word lectern comes from the Latin word legere which means "to read." Lecterns serve another purpose for nervous readers — they offer a good hiding place for shaking hands.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lectern lecterns

Standing at the lectern, flanked by more than 10 others in support, the woman called for the school district to provide more security at Franklin High School to prevent another fatal tragedy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

Asked about the lawsuit during questioning, Turner said, “We’re working on that right now,” then shifted to a brown lunch bag pulled from the lectern from which he extracted several items.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

Attorney Jeanine Pirro stepped to a lectern last month and evinced no doubt that her office would prove that a former Olympic canoeist, David Hearn, had vandalized the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

But perhaps conscious that "lectern moments" have become a symbol of the UK's political instability in recent years, Burnham broke with recent tradition and made the address without notes or a podium.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

When it came time for the candidates’ speeches, I stood behind the lectern and let the paper cascade off the stage onto the floor.

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Barabak: Starting out, the candidates behind their lecterns.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

The studio director cut to a wide shot revealing six empty lecterns.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

The two leaders gave opening remarks from lecterns on opposite sides of the stage.

From Reuters ● Nov. 18, 2023

The set for this Cambridge University institution is minimal — two tables, two chairs, two tabletop lecterns.

From New York Times ● Oct. 2, 2022

In the middle ages it was costly, fine, and beautiful, used for church vestments, veils for covering lecterns, cathedral flags, and in the 16th century for the lining of velvet gowns.

From Textiles and Clothing by Kate Heintz Watson

Related Words

• rostrum