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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
Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 5 July 2025
Churches, synagogues, temples, mosques — these worldly shells stand as evidence of New York’s long history of diversity and change.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 27 June 2025
Violent riots erupted across the U.K. after the attack, in which mosques and migrant accommodation were largely targeted.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 27 May 2025
Churches, synagogues and mosques need to open their doors to summer activities for youths and their families; faith institutions must be engaged in their communities and use their pulpits to address the violence.
—Otis Moss Iii, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for mosque
Cite this Entry
“Mosque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mosque. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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mosque
noun
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