cathedral

1 of 2

adjective

ca·​the·​dral kə-ˈthē-drəl 

1

: of, relating to, or containing a cathedra

2

: emanating from a chair of authority

3

: suggestive of a cathedral

a cathedral grove of redwoods

cathedral

2 of 2

noun

1

: a church that is the official seat of a diocesan bishop

2

: something that resembles or suggests a cathedral (as in size or importance)

a cathedral of business

the sports cathedral

Illustration of cathedral

• cathedral 1

Synonyms of cathedral

Noun

• tower
• palace
• edifice

Examples of cathedral in a Sentence

Noun

the company didn't want just a new office building—it demanded a cathedral that proclaimed its place among the giants of finance

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The cathedral dates back to the 12th century. —Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025

The Pucci Palace in Florence, dating back to the fourteenth century, has extraordinary rooftop views of Brunelleschi’s cathedral dome. —Big Think, 5 Nov. 2025

Noun

Medieval carvers had a not dissimilar approach to design, fashioning grotesques for obscure nooks in cathedrals. —Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025

Fong the Francophile had started working on the book before the cathedral was significantly damaged in a 2019 fire. —Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cathedral

• cathedral ceiling

Rhymes for cathedral

• anhedral
• dihedral
• euhedral
• subhedral
• icosahedral
• octahedral
• polyhedral
• rhombohedral
• tetrahedral

Kids Definition

cathedral

noun

ca·​the·​dral

kə-ˈthē-drəl

: the principal church of a district headed by a bishop