Definition of MOSQUE

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Mosques were known to the English-speaking world long before we called them mosques. In the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries, we used many different variations of the word - moseak, muskey, moschy, mos’keh, among others - until we finally hit on mosquee, emulating Middle French. The Middle French word had come by way of Italian and Old Spanish from the Arabic word for "temple," which is masjid. In the early 1700s, we settled on the present spelling, and mosque thus joined other English words related to Muslim worship: mihrab, for the special niche in a mosque that points towards Mecca; minaret, for the tall slender tower of a mosque; and muezzin, for the crier who, standing in the minaret, calls the hour of daily prayers.

Examples of mosque in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Earlier this year, local groups and officials, including Walsh, showed support for Boston’s Muslim community following an attack at two mosques in New Zealand. — Milton J. Valencia, BostonGlobe.com, "Head of Roxbury mosque tapped to lead city’s immigrant-outreach office," 21 June 2019 Fifty people were shot dead by a gunman wielding semiautomatic weapons in the attack on the Al Noor and Linwood mosques in the South Island city of Christchurch. — New York Times, "New Zealand Mosque Killing Suspect Pleads Not Guilty," 13 June 2019 In 2017, her father was killed in a terrorist attack on a mosque. — Jay Nordlinger, National Review, "Riveting Tales: An Oslo Journal, Part III," 10 June 2019 The Christchurch Call, an accord adopted by nine countries, was signed Wednesday in response to the attack on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, that left 51 people dead. — Sam Schechner, WSJ, "U.S. Extends Tepid Support for Accord to Curb Extremist Content Online," 15 May 2019 New Zealand’s gun laws will be changed in the wake of the horrific shooting at Al Noor and Linwood mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. — Lucy Diavolo, Teen Vogue, "New Zealand Lawmakers Are Changing Gun Laws in Response to the Christchurch Mosque Attacks," 18 Mar. 2019 After iftar, my husband goes to the mosque to pray. — Nazima Qureshi, SELF, "5 Energizing, Plant-Based Dishes This R.D. Relies on During Ramadan," 3 May 2019 German Muslim associations are asking for greater solidarity from officials and the general public over a series of attacks against mosques Thursday, March 15, 2018. — Washington Post, "Muslims lament lack of solidarity over German mosque attacks," 15 Mar. 2018 The event turns out to be a bustling celebration of the restoration of one of the cemetery’s most beautiful funerary complexes: the mosque and mausoleum built in 1474 by Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaitbay, of the Mamluk dynasty. — Klara Glowczewska, Town & Country, "Can Egypt Convince the World That It Is Starting Over?," 19 Mar. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mosque.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.