synagogue

noun

syn·​a·​gogue ˈsi-nə-ˌgäg 

variants or less commonly synagog

1

: a Jewish congregation

2

: the house of worship and communal center of a Jewish congregation

synagogal

ˌsi-nə-ˈgä-gəl 

adjective

Examples of synagogue in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The House and Senate recently passed a bill (HB 95/SB 52) that would exempt volunteers who provide armed security services at churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship from the required Class D and G licenses held by professional security services. —Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2026

Days afterward, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a 41-year-old resident of Michigan’s Dearborn Heights, drove his explosives-laden truck into Temple Israel synagogue and opened fire in West Bloomfield, Michigan, on March 12. —Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026

Photo shows Ayman Mohamad Ghazali holding an AR-style rifle, prior to his attack on a Detroit-area synagogue. —Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026

The synagogue attack has accentuated a continual escalation in threat toward American Jews over recent years. —Odette Yousef, NPR, 19 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English synagoge, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin synagoga, from Greek synagōgē assembly, synagogue, from synagein to bring together, from syn- + agein to lead — more at agent

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for synagogue

• analog
• analogue
• catalogue
• decalogue
• demagogue
• dialogue
• epilogue
• homologue
• monologue
• pedagogue
• tagalog
• travelogue

Kids Definition

synagogue

noun

syn·​a·​gogue

variants also synagog

ˈsin-ə-ˌgäg 

1

: a Jewish congregation

2

: the house of worship of a Jewish congregation

Etymology

Middle English synagoge "a Jewish congregation," from early French synagoge (same meaning), from Latin synagoga (same meaning), from Greek synagōgē "synagogue, assembly," from synagein "to bring together," from syn- "together with" and agein "to lead" — related to synonymous