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

Hicks will knock three times on the cathedral door. —Tony Aiello, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026

The home features a cathedral-style sunroom, 50-foot deck and gourmet kitchen, the listing says. —Francesca Pica, jsonline.com, 26 Jan. 2026

Noun

Days before the Olympic torch was lit at San Siro, Milan’s Piazza del Duomo, which fronts the city’s elaborate Gothic cathedral, was packed with Olympic visitors, many wearing sweatshirts and jackets bearing the flags of their homelands. —Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026

Bartolome Carino, 78, and his partner, Eleanor Pineda, celebrate Mass at the cathedral every Wednesday. —Anissa Rivera, Daily News, 5 Feb. 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