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.
Other affected UNESCO-listed sites include Chehel Sotoun Palace and the Masjed-e Jame mosque in Isfahan, as well as the prehistoric sites of the Khorramabad Valley.
From Barron's • May 10, 2026
I met them at a mosque in Minneapolis, where the imam described how the crisis had strengthened ties across faith groups: "The ICE raid created more closeness and more brotherhood and sisterhood."
From BBC • May 7, 2026
In exchange for their money, she also made promises to donate millions of dollars to a mosque and a Muslim non-profit organisation in Singapore, the court heard last year.
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
He said that he did go to the mosque every Friday, and that he prayed and fasted and raised his children to be good Muslims.
From Slate • Apr. 19, 2026
“My uncle, Shaykh Jamal, you know, the imam of the mosque here, needs pictures for the website. That’s what I’m doing, Sausun. Is that okay with you?”
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
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.
