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: a projecting part of a building (such as a church) that is usually semicircular in plan and vaulted
Examples of apse in a Sentence
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The location is spectacular: Dating back to the 14th century, the structure shows a stratification of styles where the neoclassical column and the large apse visually dominate.
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Billboard Italy, Billboard, 19 June 2025
On the third floor, sneak behind displays of men’s shoes to peer down into the apse of the medieval Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois church across the street.
—Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 5 June 2025
In an apse, near the site of the sarcophagus, is a sparkling mosaic of Jesus in reddish and gold robes sitting atop the orb of the world.
—Elizabeth Dias, New York Times, 8 May 2025
The Gozzoli frescoes, which occupy a high octagonal apse in San Francesco, had the same warmth and intimacy of the artist’s Magi paintings.
—Peter Terzian, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for apse
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Billboard Italy, Billboard, 19 June 2025
On the third floor, sneak behind displays of men’s shoes to peer down into the apse of the medieval Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois church across the street.
—Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 5 June 2025
In an apse, near the site of the sarcophagus, is a sparkling mosaic of Jesus in reddish and gold robes sitting atop the orb of the world.
—Elizabeth Dias, New York Times, 8 May 2025
The Gozzoli frescoes, which occupy a high octagonal apse in San Francesco, had the same warmth and intimacy of the artist’s Magi paintings.
—Peter Terzian, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for apse
Cite this Entry
“Apse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apse. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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noun
: a part of a building (as a church) that sticks out from one end of the building, is usually semicircular, has an arched roof, and is often richly decorated especially in Gothic churches
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