cathedral

1 of 2

adjective

ca·​the·​dral kə-ˈthē-drəl How to pronounce cathedral (audio)
Synonyms of cathedralnext
1
: of, relating to, or containing a cathedra
2
: emanating from a chair of authority
3
: suggestive of a cathedral
a cathedral grove of redwoods

cathedral

2 of 2

noun

1
: a church that is the official seat of a diocesan bishop
2
: something that resembles or suggests a cathedral (as in size or importance)
a cathedral of business
the sports cathedral

Illustration of cathedral

Illustration of cathedral
  • cathedral 1

Examples of cathedral in a Sentence

Noun the company didn't want just a new office building—it demanded a cathedral that proclaimed its place among the giants of finance
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.
Adjective
Set across 2,443 acres east of Chiefland, the park draws visitors for its clear swimming hole, cathedral-like cypress forest, and an 800-foot boardwalk overlooking the spring run. Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2025 Nearby, Perugia is alive with student life, café terraces, and craft boutiques, while farther south, Spoleto’s Roman theatre and frescoed cathedral speak to centuries of cultural layering. Laura May Todd, Vogue, 21 Dec. 2025
Noun
The movement had adherents among the student body and on the faculty at the Catholic University in Chiclayo, which has about ten thousand students, and the cathedral boasted an enormous portrait of Josemaria Escrivá, Opus Dei’s sainted founder. Paul Elie, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026 Berliners celebrate in snowfall Tourists and Berliners alike marked the end of 2025 by enjoying snowfall, taking selfies and making snowmen in front of the German capital’s cathedral and the iconic Brandenburg Gate. Rod McGuirk, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cathedral

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cathedral was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Cathedral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cathedral. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

cathedral

noun
ca·​the·​dral
kə-ˈthē-drəl
: the principal church of a district headed by a bishop

More from Merriam-Webster on cathedral

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