Cathedral
/kəˈθiːdɹəl/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjRelating to the office of a bishop or an archbishop.
nounThe principal church serving as the office (and some as place of residence) of an archdiocese's/a diocese's archbishop/bishop which is symbolized by an episcopal throne known as the cathedra.
Sentence Examples
The cathedral dates back to the Middle Ages.
The cathedral had a religious painting on its ceiling.
The sheer size of the cathedral is a constant reminder of the power of religion.
CEFR Practice Quiz
They visited the ancient ____ to admire its towering stained glass windows.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ancient Gothic ____ is the most famous and beautiful landmark in the whole city.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English cathedral, chathedral, cathiderall, from Old French [Term?], from Latin cathedrālis, from cathedra + -ālis, from Ancient Greek καθέδρα (kathédra, “chair of a teacher, throne”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The reaction from the Cathedral—the press, the political establishment, and everyone else who shaped acceptable opinion—was quick and unanimous"
— 2019 May 14, Michael Malice, “The Strike” (chapter 3), in The New Right: A Journey to the Fringe of American Politics, →ISBN, from third sentence of third paragraph:
"This is why grown-up men and women in the Cathedral (to use the neoreactionary term for the Establishment) actually believe that the MAGA yahoos of January 6 nearly overthrew the US government."
— 2022 January 14, Rod Dreher, “Neckbeard Militias Are Not My Enemy”, in The American Conservative, archived from the original on 15 Apr 2022:
"[Curtis Yarvin] is forthright in his belief that the present order — to his mind, an oligarchy governed by a complex of elite institutions (like this newspaper) that he calls “the Cathedral” — should be overthrown"
— 2022 December 10, Ross Douthat, “A Political Theory of King Elon Musk”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 23 Mar 2024:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
They visited the ancient ____ to admire its towering stained glass windows.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ancient Gothic ____ is the most famous and beautiful landmark in the whole city.