apse

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

apse, n. 

•  A projecting part of a building, esp. of a church, having in the plan a polygonal or semicircular termination, and, most often, projecting from the east end. In early churches the Eastern apse was occupied by seats for the bishop and clergy.  [1913 Webster]
•  A reliquary, or case in which the relics of saints were kept.  [1913 Webster]

  " This word is also written apsis and absis."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

apse, n.
1 a large semicircular or polygonal recess, arched or with a domed roof, esp. at the eastern end of a church.
2 = APSIS.

Derivative

apsidal adj.

Etymology

L APSIS

THESAURUS

apse

Easter sepulcher, ambry, arcade, arcature, arch, arched roof, archway, baptistery, blindstory, camber, ceilinged roof, chancel, choir, cloisters, concameration, concha, confessional, confessionary, cove, crypt, cupola, diaconicon, diaconicum, dome, geodesic dome, igloo, keystone, nave, ogive, porch, presbytery, rood loft, rood stair, rood tower, sacrarium, sacristy, skewback, span, transept, triforium, vault, vaulting, vestry, voussoir

ROGET THESAURUS

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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.