lectern

noun

lec·​tern ˈlek-tərn 

: a stand used to support a book or script in a convenient position for a standing reader or speaker

especially : one from which scripture lessons are read in a church service

Examples of lectern in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And so, on a rainy late April day in Seattle, Castelli stood at a lectern before his friends and family and defended his doctoral thesis — about using stem cells to express antibodies against HIV — with his scientific life at a crossroads. —Evan Bush, NBC news, 8 May 2025

Coming full circle On Thursday night, when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell steps to the lectern and begins calling names, Burden won’t be sitting in a hotel ballroom or in front of bright studio lights. —Amelia Hurley, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2025

While the commentariat saw his increasingly bizarre improvisations at the lectern as no less disqualifying than Biden’s confusion during the fatal debate, Trump kept faith with his dominant source of inspiration––retribution. —David Remnick, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2025

Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt brought the mother of Rachel Morin to the lectern of the press briefing room. —Niall Stanage, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English lettorne, from Anglo-French leitrun, from Medieval Latin lectrinum, from Late Latin lectrum, from Latin legere to read — more at legend

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

lectern

noun

lec·​tern ˈlek-tərn 

: a desk to read from while standing

especially : one from which scripture lessons are read in a church service