altar

noun

al·​tar ˈȯl-tər 

often attributive

1

: a usually raised structure or place on which sacrifices are offered or incense is burned in worship

—often used figuratively to describe a thing given great or undue precedence or value especially at the cost of something else

sacrificed his family life on the altar of career advancement

2

a

: a tablelike construction used in the Christian church in celebrating the Eucharist

b

: a table or place which serves as a center of worship or ritual

—often used with the to refer to the act of getting married

They are destined for the altar.

She left him at the altar. [=she decided at the last minute not to go through with her planned marriage to him]

Examples of altar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Garcia and Chigvintsev faced a few hurdles on the road to the altar. —Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 13 Sep. 2024

Season 3 ended on something of a cliffhanger, with Isaac (Brandon Scott Jones) jilting his fiancé Nigel (John Hartman) at the altar, only to be dragged into the dirt by the mysterious, and vengeful, ghost Patience, played by guest star Mary Holland. —Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 13 Sep. 2024

Not every show has to be a masterpiece to be a good time, nor does being a great actor require career-long genuflection at the altar of cinema (but thank you, Daniel Day-Lewis, for your service). —Judy Berman, TIME, 5 Sep. 2024

According to National Museums Scotland, the hoard was buried around 900 C.E. Conservators used laser technology to clean the object, removing green corrosion and uncovering a range of designs and iconography, including crowns, fire altars, leopards and tigers. —Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English alter, from Old English altar, from Latin altare; probably akin to Latin adolēre to burn up

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing altar

• altar boy
• altar call
• altar girl
• altar of repose
• altar rail
• altar server
• altar stone
• high altar
• lead to the altar
• leave at the altar
• on the altar of success
• worship at the altar of

Kids Definition

altar

noun

al·​tar ˈȯl-tər 

1

: a raised place on which sacrifices are offered

2

: a platform or table used as a center of worship