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 strapless corset gown had a sheer illusion jacket embellished with pearls and was paired with a cathedral veil. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026

Last September a new museum opened in Miami’s oldest skyscraper, a Mediterranean Revival building from 1925 modeled after the majestic Giralda cathedral tower in Seville, Spain. — Ada Ferrer, The New York Review of Books, 4 July 2026

Noun

It is presumed to have been commissioned by William the Conqueror’s half-brother, Bishop Odo, to adorn his new cathedral in Bayeux in 1077. — Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 10 July 2026

Created in England during the eleventh century, the tapestry has since been housed in the cathedral in Bayeux, France. — News Desk, Artforum, 7 July 2026

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