temple Hear it!

temple1 definition

tem·ple (tempəl)

noun

    1. a building for the worship of a divinity or divinities
    2. anything viewed as the dwelling place of God or a divinity
    1. any of the Jewish sacred edifices for worshiping Jehovah, successively built in ancient Jerusalem
    2. a synagogue, esp. of a Reform or Conservative congregation
  1. a church
  2. either of two sets (Inner Temple and Middle Temple) of London buildings housing two of England's four principal law societies: their site was formerly occupied by the London branch of the Knights Templars
  3. a building, usually of imposing size, etc., serving the public or an organization in some special way a temple of art, a Masonic temple

Etymology: ME < OE tempel & OFr temple, both < L templum, temple, sanctuary, orig., space marked out: for IE base see temper

Related Forms:

temple2 definition

tem·ple (tempəl)

noun

  1. either of the flat surfaces alongside the forehead, in front of each ear
  2. ☆ either of the sidepieces of a pair of glasses that fit across the temples and over the ears

Etymology: OFr < VL tempula, altered < L tempora, the temples, pl. of tempus, akin to tempus, time (in reference to pulse): see temper

temple3 definition

tem·ple (tempəl)

noun

a device for keeping the cloth in a loom stretched to its correct width during weaving

Etymology: LME < MFr: see template

Temple definition

Tem·ple (tempəl)

Temple, Sir William 1628-99; Brit. diplomat & writer

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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