narthex

noun

nar·​thex ˈnär-ˌtheks How to pronounce narthex (audio)
1
: the portico of an ancient church
2
: a vestibule leading to the nave of a church

Examples of narthex in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There is a narthex, or entrance hall, brightly lit and full of movement in and out. Diarmaid MacCulloch, The New York Review of Books, 2 July 2020 The processional from the narthex down the nave to the altar has been compressed into a passage of just a few steps. Curbed, 6 Dec. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Late Greek narthēx, from Greek, giant fennel, cane, casket

First Known Use

circa 1673, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of narthex was circa 1673

Dictionary Entries Near narthex

Cite this Entry

“Narthex.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/narthex. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

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