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

Underneath the Lincoln Memorial is what's known as the memorial's Undercroft (a term usually reserved for the vaulted basement of a medieval castle or cathedral). —CBS News, 31 May 2026

Green cathedral spires rise from a cobalt sea. —Brianna Randall, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026

Noun

Set the scene This red-brick Palladian pile is right at the foot of the looming Rock of Cashel, one of Ireland’s most famous historic sites, with its Romanesque chapel, roofless cathedral and pencil-shaped round tower. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026

The city is known for the Alcázar, its cathedral and the legacy of El Greco. —Laura Begley Bloom, Forbes.com, 1 June 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