What does altar mean?
Definitions for altar
ˈɔl təral·tar
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word altar.
Princeton's WordNet
altar, communion table, Lord's tablenoun
the table in Christian churches where communion is given
altarnoun
a raised structure on which gifts or sacrifices to a god are made
Wiktionary
altarnoun
A table or similar flat-topped structure used for religious rites.
Etymology: From altare, probably related to adolere; thus "burning place", influenced by a false connection with altus.
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
Altarnoun
Etymology: altare, Lat. It is observed by Franciscus Junius, that the word altar is received, with christianity, in all the European languages; and that altare is used by one of the Fathers, as appropriated to the Christian worship, in opposition to the aræ of gentilism.
The goddess of the nuptial bed,
Tir’d with her vain devotions for the dead,
Resolv’d the tainted hand should be repell’d,
Which incense offer’d, and her altar held. John Dryden, Fab.Her grace rose, and, with modest paces,
Came to the altar, where she kneel’d, and, saintlike,
Cast her fair eyes to heav’n, and pray’d devoutly. William Shakespeare, Henry VIII.
Wikipedia
Altar
An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paganism, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, modern paganism, and in certain Islamic communities around Caucasia and Asia Minor. Many historical-medieval faiths also made use of them, including the Roman, Greek, and Norse religions.
ChatGPT
altar
An altar is a table or flat-topped block used as the focus for a religious ritual, especially for making sacrifices or offerings to a deity. It can also refer to a structure or place where religious ceremonies are performed, usually found in churches, temples, shrines or other places of worship.
Webster Dictionary
Altarnoun
a raised structure (as a square or oblong erection of stone or wood) on which sacrifices are offered or incense burned to a deity
Altarnoun
in the Christian church, a construction of stone, wood, or other material for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist; the communion table
Etymology: [OE. alter, auter, autier, fr. L. altare, pl. altaria, altar, prob. fr. altus high: cf. OF. alter, autier, F. autel. Cf. Altitude.]
Wikidata
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship. Today they are used particularly in Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Shinto, Taoism, as well as in Neopaganism and Ceremonial Magic. Judaism did so until the destruction of the Second Temple. Many historical faiths also made use of them, including Greek and Norse religion.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Altar
awlt′ar, n. an elevated place or structure, block or stone, or the like, on which sacrifices were anciently offered: in Christian churches, the table on which the officiating priest consecrates the eucharist: the communion table: (fig.) a place of worship.—ns. Alt′arage, offerings made upon the altar during the offertory, provided for the maintenance of the priest; Alt′ar-cloth, the covering of the altar, placed over and around it, of silk, velvet, satin, or cloth, often used as including the frontal (antependium), and the super-frontal; Alt′arpiece, a decorative screen, retable, or reredos, placed behind an altar—a work of art, whether a sacred painting or sculpture.—n.pl. Alt′ar-rails, rails separating the sacrarium from the rest of the chancel.—ns. Alt′ar-stone, the slab forming the top or chief part of an altar; Alt′ar-tomb, a monumental memorial, in form like an altar, often with a canopy. These were often placed over the vaults or burying-place, and frequently on the north and south walls of choirs, aisles, and chantry chapels.—adj. Alt′arwise, placed like an altar—north and south, at the upper end of the chancel.—Family altar, the practice or the place of private devotional worship in the family; High altar, the principal altar in a cathedral or other church having more than one altar; Portable altar, a small tablet of marble, jasper, or precious stone, used by special license for Mass when said away from the parish altar, in oratories or other similar places. It was termed super-altare, because commonly placed upon some other altar, or some fitting construction of wood or stone. [L. altāre—altus, high.]
CrunchBase
Altar
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Dictionary of Nautical Terms
altar
A platform in the upper part of a dock.
Suggested Resources
altar
Song lyrics by altar -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by altar on the Lyrics.com website.
Mythology
Altar
A structure on which a sacrifice was offered. The earliest altars were merely heaps of earth or turf or rough unhewn stone; but as the mode of sacrificing became more ceremonious grander altars were built. Some were of marble and brass, ornamented with carvings and bas-reliefs, and the corners with models of the heads of animals. They varied in height from two feet to twenty, and some were built solid; others were made hollow to retain the blood of the victims. Some were provided with a kind of dish, into which frankincense was thrown to overpower the smell of burning fat. This probably was the origin of the custom of burning incense at the altar.
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
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Anagrams for altar »
artal
ratal
talar
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of altar in Chaldean Numerology is: 2
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of altar in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7
Examples of altar in a Sentence
People build altars to let their loved ones know they were missed, candles are lit to help guide them back to their home and some of their favorite items are set out to make them feel welcomed. I've made an altar in honor of my grandmother, setting out her favorite perfume.
We were raised not to say anything bad about the Catholic religion, but at the same time, we can't stay quiet about this. It's like the altar boy scandal. All the people who stayed quiet about the altar boy scandal, how do they feel now? it seems like the church is doing all it can to separate Serra from the atrocities and deaths and what happened to the Indians, but that does not work.
He accepted his martyrdom there on the altar, he gave his life for us so as not to deny Jesus . . . He is a martyr and martyrs are beatified.
I stand at the altar of the murdered men, and, while I live, I fight their cause.
Droughts are nothing new in California, but right now, 70 percent of California's rainfall washes out to sea because liberals have prevented theconstruction of a single new reservoir or a single new water conveyance system over decades, during a period in which California’s population has doubled, this is theclassic case of liberals being willing to sacrifice other people's lives and livelihoods at the altar of their ideology.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
References
Translations for altar
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- مذبح, هيكلArabic
- алтарBelarusian
- олтарBulgarian
- altarCatalan, Valencian
- oltářCzech
- alterDanish
- AltarGerman
- vɔsamlekpuiEwe
- βωμόςGreek
- altaroEsperanto
- altarSpanish
- altarEstonian
- مذبح, محرابPersian
- alttariFinnish
- altarFaroese
- autelFrench
- altairScottish Gaelic
- वेदीHindi
- oltárHungarian
- altarIndonesian
- altariIcelandic
- altareItalian
- מזבחHebrew
- 祭壇Japanese
- 제단, 祭壇Korean
- ara, altareLatin
- AltorLuxembourgish, Letzeburgesch
- aukurasLithuanian
- altārisLatvian
- āta, tūāhuMāori
- олтар, жртвеникMacedonian
- altaarDutch
- alter, altarNorwegian
- ołtarzPolish
- altarPortuguese
- altarRomanian
- жертвенник, алтарьRussian
- oltar, олтар, žrtvenik, жртвеникSerbo-Croatian
- oltárSlovak
- oltarSlovene
- altareSwedish
- பலிபீடம்Tamil
- sunak, mihrapTurkish
- вівтарUkrainian
- bàn thờVietnamese
- 壇Chinese
Get even more translations for altar »
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