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; ˈsɪnəˌɡɒɡəl; ˈsɪnəˌɡɒɡ /

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.

Derived Forms

• synagogical, adjective

Other Words From

• syn·a·gog·i·cal [sin-, uh, -, goj, -i-k, uh, l], syn·a·gog·al [sin, -, uh, -gog-, uh, l, -gaw-g, uh, l], 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

Illy, the coffee company, traces its roots here, and it’s home to one of the largest synagogues in Europe.

From Washington Post

“I went through every prayer to try to figure out if this person was a rabbi or if a synagogue was mentioned,” he said.

From Washington Post

Bet Mishpachah is the city’s only Egalitarian synagogue devoted to embracing the LGBTQ community.

From Washington Blade

Beneath our feet and through the metal grate that covered the basement window well of the synagogue, a patch of faded denim peeked out from layers of dead leaves.

From Ozy

Note – We also looked at “virtual mosque” and “virtual synagogue” as well, but the data was less clear.

From Search Engine Watch

Terrorists killed four rabbis, three of them American, in a synagogue this morning.

From The Daily Beast

Freundel is also rabbi of the prominent Kesher Israel synagogue in Washington.

From The Daily Beast

A phone message for Freundel at his synagogue was not returned, nor was an e-mail to his personal account.

From The Daily Beast

“I am shocked when I hear journalists saying if the De La Roquette synagogue was attacked it is because of the Jews,” he said.

From The Daily Beast

Following the establishment of the State of Israel, the synagogue was used as a school for displaced Palestinians.

From The Daily Beast

When the synagogue shall be cast off, thou shalt judge it in measure, and in proportion to its crimes.-Ibid.

From Project Gutenberg

The prophet is commanded again to love an adulteress; to signify God's love to the synagogue.

From Project Gutenberg

The latter day was known to the more intimate set of encyclopedists as the jour du synagogue.

From Project Gutenberg

When he who attends the synagogue regularly is prevented from being present, God asks for him.

From Project Gutenberg

As the shades of night were falling they entered a city which contained a large and imposing synagogue.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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