reredos

(rirdäs′)

noun

an ornamental screen or partition wall behind an altar in a church

Origin: ME rerdos, aphetic < Anglo-Fr areredos < OFr arere (see arrears) + dos, back (see dosser)

See reredos in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. A decorative screen or facing on the wall at the back of an altar; a retable.
  2. The back of an open hearth of a fireplace.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Anglo-Norman

Origin: , from areredos

Origin: : arere, behind (Latin ad-, ad- + Latin retrō, backward; see re- in Indo-European roots)

Origin: + dos, back (from Latin dorsum)

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