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altar

Pronunciation: /ˈɔːltə, ˈɒl-/

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Definition of altar

noun

  • the table in a Christian church at which the bread and wine are consecrated in communion services.
  • a table or flat-topped block used as the focus for a religious ritual, especially for making sacrifices or offerings to a deity.

Phrases

lead someone to the altar

marry a woman.

sacrifice someone/thing on/at the altar of

make someone or something suffer in the interests of:no businessman is going to sacrifice his company on the altar of such altruism

Origin:

Old English altar, alter, based on late Latin altar, altarium, from Latin altus 'high'

Do not confuse altar with alter. An altar means 'a sacred table in a church' (the high altar), whereas alter means 'change something' (she could not alter her fate).

altar in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of altar in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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