Altar

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: al=tar

CIDE DICTIONARY

Altar, n. [OE. alter, auter, autier, fr. L. altare, pl. altaria, altar, prob. fr. altus high: cf. OF. alter, autier, F. autel. Cf. Altitude.].

•  A raised structure (as a square or oblong erection of stone or wood) on which sacrifices are offered or incense burned to a deity.  [1913 Webster]

  "Noah builded an altar unto the Lord."  [1913 Webster]
•  In the Christian church, a construction of stone, wood, or other material for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist; the communion table.  [1913 Webster]

  " Altar is much used adjectively, or as the first part of a compound; as, altar bread or altar-bread."  [1913 Webster]

Altar cloth or Altar-cloth, the cover for an altar in a Christian church, usually richly embroidered. -- Altar cushion, a cushion laid upon the altar in a Christian church to support the service book. -- Altar frontal. See Frontal. -- Altar rail, the railing in front of the altar or communion table. -- Altar screen, a wall or partition built behind an altar to protect it from approach in the rear. -- Altar tomb, a tomb resembling an altar in shape, etc. -- Family altar, place of family devotions. -- To lead (as a bride) to the altar, to marry; -- said of a woman.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Altar, n.
1 a table or flat-topped block, often of stone, for sacrifice or offering to a deity.
2 a Communion-table.

Idiom

altar boy a boy who serves as a priest's assistant in a service. lead to the altar marry (a woman).

Etymology

OE altar -er, Gmc adoption of LL altar, altarium f. L altaria (pl.) burnt offerings, altar, prob. rel. to adolere burn in sacrifice

DEVIL DICTIONARY

Altar

n. The place whereupon the priest formerly raveled out the small intestine of the sacrificial victim for purposes of divination and cooked its flesh for the gods. The word is now seldom used, except with reference to the sacrifice of their liberty and peace by a male and a female tool.

They stood before the altar and supplied
The fire themselves in which their fat was fried.
In vain the sacrifice! -- no god will claim
An offering burnt with an unholy flame.
M.P. Nopput

THESAURUS

Altar

Communion table, altar carpet, altar desk, altar facing, altar of prothesis, altar rail, altar side, altar slab, altar stair, altar stone, altarpiece, ancona, bomos, chancel table, credence, eschara, frontal, gradin, hestia, holy table, mensal, missal stand, predella, prothesis, retable, retablo, rood altar, scrobis, superaltar

ROGET THESAURUS

Altar

Temple

N temple, place of worship, house of God, house of prayer, temple, cathedral, minster, church, kirk, chapel, meetinghouse, bethel, tabernacle, conventicle, basilica, fane, holy place, chantry, oratory, synagogue, mosque, marabout, pantheon, pagoda, joss house, dogobah, tope, kiosk, kiack, masjid, parsonage, rectory, vicarage, manse, deanery, glebe, Vatican, bishop's palace, Lambeth, altar, shrine, sanctuary, Holy of Holies, sanctum sanctorum, sacristy, sacrarium, communion table, holy table, Lord's table, table of the Lord, pyx, baptistery, font, piscina, stoup, aumbry, sedile, reredos, rood loft, rood screen, chancel, quire, choir, nave, aisle, transept, vestry, crypt, golgotha, calvary, Easter sepulcher, stall, pew, pulpit, ambo, lectern, reading desk, confessional, prothesis, credence, baldachin, baldacchino, apse, belfry, chapter house, presbytery, anxious-bench, anxious-seat, diaconicum, jube, mourner's bench, mourner's seat, cloisters, churchyard, monastery, priory, abbey, friary, convent, nunnery, cloister, claustral, cloistered, monastic, monasterial, conventual, ne vile fano, there's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple.