altar
pronunciation
How to pronounce altar in British English:
UK [ˈɔ:ltə(r)]
How to pronounce altar in American English:
US [ˈɔltɚ]
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- Noun:
- the table in Christian churches where communion is given
- a raised structure on which gifts or sacrifices to a god are made
Word Origin
- altar
- altar: [OE] The etymological notion underlying the word altar is that of sacrificial burning. Latin altar, which was borrowed directly into Old English, was a derivative of the plural noun altāria, ‘burnt offerings’, which probably came from the verb adolēre ‘burn up’. Adolēre in turn appears to be a derivative of olēre ‘smell’ (the connection being the smell made by combustion), which is related to English odour, olfactory, and redolent. (The traditional view that altar derives from Latin altus ‘high’ is no longer generally accepted, although no doubt it played a part, by association, in its development.) In Middle English, the Old French form auter replaced altar, but in the 16th century the Latin form re-established itself.=> odour, olfactory, redolent
- altar (n.)
- Old English alter, altar, from Latin altare (plural altaria) "high altar, altar for sacrifice to the great gods," perhaps originally meaning "burnt offerings" (compare Latin adolere "to worship, to offer sacrifice, to honor by burning sacrifices to"), but influenced by Latin altus "high." In Middle English, often auter, from Old French auter. Reintroduced from Latin 1500s. As a symbol of marriage, by 1820.
Example
- 1. My grandfather was the high priest and I his altar boy .
- 2. Then aaron 's sons shall sprinkle its blood against the altar on all sides .
- 3. The altar painting of the virgin mentioned above soon follows .
- 4. Business writers have always worshipped at the altar of success .
- 5. It is called like this because the discoverers found a cross , an altar and some icons here .