mosque
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of mosque
1600–10; earlier mosquee < Middle French < Italian moschea ≪ Arabic masjid, derivative of sajada to worship, literally, prostrate oneself; the -ee seems to have been taken as diminutive suffix and dropped
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Explanation
The mosque is the traditional Muslim place of worship. Architecturally, it often features a minaret, or onion-shaped dome, on top. Mosque stems from the Arabic word masjid, meaning "temple" or "place of worship." This building is very important religiously and politically, and can be a modest structure or an architectural masterpiece, such as the Great Mosque of Córdoba in Spain. Muslims, or practitioners of Islam, come together here and pray in rows facing in the direction of the holy city of Mecca.
Vocabulary lists containing mosque
World Religions
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The Middle East and Central Asia - Introductory
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The Middle East and Central Asia - Middle School
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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.
"Al-Aqsa mosque is Jerusalem's soul," another worshipper, who declined to share his name for security reasons, said.
From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026
"This is unusual in Al-Kharj," Abdullah told AFP after afternoon prayers at a local mosque.
From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026
At the lower Rangpo area, close to the Teesta River, only a mosque remains, surrounded by piles of sand, some reaching the height of its roof.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
But most of the communal prayer events were canceled, with only one large gathering held in the Grand Mosalla mosque.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026
Then she announces, "Let's go to the mosque and find your family! Let's go to Bengaluru."
From "Born Behind Bars" by Padma Venkatraman
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.
