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Mosques were known to the English-speaking world long before we called them mosques. In the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries, we used many different variations of the word—moseak, muskey, moschy, mos’keh, among others—until we finally hit on mosquee, emulating Middle French. The Middle French word had come by way of Italian and Old Spanish from the Arabic word for "temple," which is masjid. In the early 1700s, we settled on the present spelling, and mosque thus joined other English words related to Muslim worship: mihrab, for the special niche in a mosque that points towards Mecca; minaret, for the tall slender tower of a mosque; and muezzin, for the crier who, standing in the minaret, calls the hour of daily prayers.
Examples of mosque in a Sentence
Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 3 May 2025
Nearby cultural attractions include the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque (the largest mosque in Oman) and the Royal Opera House.
—Nicole Brewer, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2025
Birth rate declines have also been prominent tropes for white supremacist mass shooters, including the shooter who killed 51 Muslim people and wounded 40 others at two mosques in New Zealand in 2019.
—Lisa Hagen, NPR, 25 Apr. 2025
It's known for its history as a Christian basilica for almost 1,000 years before becoming a mosque during the Ottoman Empire.
—Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Mosque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mosque. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
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mosque
noun
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