synagogue

noun

syn·​a·​gogue ˈsi-nə-ˌgäg 

variants or less commonly synagog

1

: a Jewish congregation

2

: the house of worship and communal center of a Jewish congregation

synagogal

ˌsi-nə-ˈgä-gəl 

adjective

Examples of synagogue in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For more than a year, that is the choice many Jews have been compelled to make: to wear their yarmulke in public, or cover it with a baseball cap; to display their Star of David necklace, or tuck it inside their sweater; to brave the walk to synagogue, or tune in online. —Joshua M. Davidson, New York Daily News, 29 Dec. 2024

In November, Carro sentenced Christopher Brown, a man who had threatened a synagogue, to 10 years in prison. —Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024

Here are the three death row inmates that weren’t on the president’s commutations list: Robert D. Bowers Bowers is the gunman behind the deadly 2018 antisemitic Tree of Life synagogue attack, which killed 11 people in Pittsburgh. —Tara Suter, The Hill, 23 Dec. 2024

Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue in 2018, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. —Mike Allen, Axios, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English synagoge, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin synagoga, from Greek synagōgē assembly, synagogue, from synagein to bring together, from syn- + agein to lead — more at agent

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

synagogue

noun

syn·​a·​gogue

variants also synagog

ˈsin-ə-ˌgäg 

1

: a Jewish congregation

2

: the house of worship of a Jewish congregation

Etymology

Middle English synagoge "a Jewish congregation," from early French synagoge (same meaning), from Latin synagoga (same meaning), from Greek synagōgē "synagogue, assembly," from synagein "to bring together," from syn- "together with" and agein "to lead" — related to synonymous