1
: a hallowed spot
2
a
: a chapel for Nonconformists
b
: a place of worship for seamen

Word History

Etymology

Hebrew bēth'ēl house of God

First Known Use

circa 1617, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bethel was circa 1617

Dictionary Entries Near bethel

Cite this Entry

“Bethel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bethel. Accessed 25 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

: a place of worship especially for sailors
Etymology

from Hebrew bēthʼēl "house of God"

Geographical Definition

Bethel

geographical name

1
city of ancient Palestine north of Jerusalem

Note: The present-day West Bank town on the site of Bethel is called Bay*tīn \ ˌbā-​ˈtēn How to pronounce Bethel (audio) \ .

2
town in southeastern New York notable as the site of the Woodstock music festival in 1969 population 4255

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