narthex
Americannoun
noun
-
a portico at the west end of a basilica or church, esp one that is at right angles to the nave
-
a rectangular entrance hall between the porch and nave of a church
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of narthex
1665–75; < Late Greek nárthēx, Greek: giant fennel
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.
Instead, on Sundays, he worshipped in the narthex at the back of Camden First United Methodist Church, separated from the rest of the congregation, with his family at his side in folding chairs.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 29, 2022
The entrance, which is also framed by the same angles of the tower shapes, feels both grand and humanly scaled, and functions a bit like the narthex of a cathedral.
From Washington Post ● May 17, 2019
When the narthex was expanded last year to accommodate a new elevator, the church commissioned an artist to replicate the original light fixtures.
From Washington Times ● Mar. 13, 2016
The church’s documents had been kept in a narthex cloakroom for years, but were recently moved into a locked fireproof file cabinet.
From New York Times ● Jul. 29, 2014
This vast western portal is encased in a great projective porch, a feature indigenous apparently to Burgundy, and commonly referred to as the "Burgundian narthex."
From The Cathedrals of Northern France by Blanche McManus
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