cathedral

1 of 2

adjective

ca·​the·​dral kə-ˈthē-drəl 

1

: of, relating to, or containing a cathedra

2

: emanating from a chair of authority

3

: suggestive of a cathedral

a cathedral grove of redwoods

cathedral

2 of 2

noun

1

: a church that is the official seat of a diocesan bishop

2

: something that resembles or suggests a cathedral (as in size or importance)

a cathedral of business

the sports cathedral

Illustration of cathedral

• cathedral 1

Synonyms

Noun

• edifice
• hall
• palace
• tower

Examples of cathedral in a Sentence

Noun

the company didn't want just a new office building—it demanded a cathedral that proclaimed its place among the giants of finance

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Jimmy Carter funeral live updates: Biden, Trump and other presidents gather at cathedral Trump was the first of the presidents to arrive and sit in the second row, joined by his wife Melania Trump. —Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 9 Jan. 2025

After the cathedral service, Mr. Carter will be taken back to Georgia for burial. —Peter Baker, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2024

Noun

What does papal authority mean in a country where faith was shaped not by marble cathedrals but by praise breaks and Pentecostal fire? —Jack Hill, Baltimore Sun, 23 Apr. 2025

Catholic believers and tourists alike gathered at the cathedral to pay their respects, attending special Easter Monday services. —Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cathedral

• cathedral ceiling

Rhymes for cathedral

• anhedral
• dihedral
• euhedral
• subhedral
• icosahedral
• octahedral
• polyhedral
• rhombohedral
• tetrahedral

Kids Definition

cathedral

noun

ca·​the·​dral

kə-ˈthē-drəl

: the principal church of a district headed by a bishop