synagogue

Or syn·a·gog

[sin-uh-gog, -gawg]

noun

1. a Jewish house of worship, often having facilities for religious instruction.

2. an assembly or congregation of Jews for the purpose of religious worship.

3. the Jewish religion; Judaism.

synagogue

/ ˌsɪnəˈɡɒdʒɪkəl, ˈsɪnəˌɡɒɡ, ˈsɪnəˌɡɒɡəl /

noun

1. 1. a building for Jewish religious services and usually also for religious instruction

   2. ( as modifier )

      synagogue services

2. a congregation of Jews who assemble for worship or religious study

3. the religion of Judaism as organized in such congregations

synagogue

1. In Judaism, a house of worship and learning; also, the congregation that meets there.

Other Word Forms

• synagogical adjective
• synagogal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of synagogue¹

1125–75; Middle English synagoge < Late Latin synagōga < Greek synagōgḗ assembly, meeting, equivalent to syn- syn- + agōgḗ, noun use of feminine of agōgós (adj.) gathering, derivative of ágein to bring, lead; akin to Latin agere to drive

Word History and Origins

Origin of synagogue¹

C12: from Old French sinagogue, from Late Latin synagōga, from Greek sunagōgē a gathering, from sunagein to bring together, from _syn- + agein to lead

Example Sentences

A man arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences following the Manchester synagogue attack has been re-arrested at the city's airport.

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Twenty years ago I marveled at the level of security at European synagogues.

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He said his mother-in-law grew up in Nazi Germany and watched as the synagogue across the street from her home was burned to the ground.

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Last week, a man attacked people outside a synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, near the northern city of Manchester.

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LONDON—One of those killed and one injured in Thursday’s terrorist attack in Manchester were hit by gunfire from police who were trying to stop the attacker from entering a crowded synagogue, police said.

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Related Words

• chapel 
• house of worship www.thesaurus.com
• mosque 
• parish 
• shrine 
• temple