synagogue

American  

[sin-uh-gog, -gawg] / ˈsɪn əˌgɒg, -ˌgɔg /

Or synagog

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.

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synagogue British  

/ 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

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synagogue Cultural  

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

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Other Word Forms

• synagogal adjective
• synagogical adjective

Etymology

Origin of synagogue

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

Explanation

A synagogue is a Jewish house of worship. A synagogue, sometimes called a temple or a shul, is for Jews what a church is for Christians, or a mosque for Muslims, or a temple for Hindus. The word comes from the Greek roots sun "together" and agein "bring" — it's a building where worshipers are brought together.

Example Sentences

Daniel Walker, the rabbi of the Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester which was attacked last October, stresses the importance of dialogue between those of different faiths and perspectives.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

Some of Debbie Israel’s fondest memories as a young girl are the times she spent with her father at synagogue praying on the Sabbath.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

Earlier this month, Dutch officials said they thought four youths arrested on suspicion of detonating an explosive device outside a Rotterdam synagogue might have been recruited by Iran.

From Barron's • Mar. 28, 2026

There are only about 500 Jewish people in this city of half a million, the synagogue isn’t particularly active and the Jews are well-integrated.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

A synagogue is no different from a church or any house of worship—open to anybody.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

Related Words

• chapel
• house of worship
• mosque
• parish
• shrine
• temple