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retable

[ ri-tey-buhl, ree-tey- ]
/ rɪˈteɪ bəl, ˈriˌteɪ- /
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noun
a decorative structure raised above an altar at the back, often forming a frame for a picture, bas-relief, or the like, and sometimes including a shelf or shelves, as for ornaments.
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Origin of retable

1815–25; <French, equivalent to Old French re(re) at the back (<Latin retrō) + tabletable; compare Medieval Latin retrōtabulum
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How to use retable in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for retable

retable
/ (rɪˈteɪbəl) /

noun
an ornamental screenlike structure above and behind an altar, esp one used as a setting for a religious picture or carving

Word Origin for retable

C19: from French, from Spanish retablo, from Latin retrō behind + tabula board; see rear 1, table
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
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