altar

B2 Topic:General Vocabulary

US /ˈɔl.tɚ/ UK /ˈɒl.tə/ See IPA manual

Freq #6671

Meanings

1

noun
A table or raised structure used for religious ceremonies.

The couple stood at the altar to exchange their vows.
2

noun
A raised place where offerings or sacrifices are made to a god.

The ancient priests burned offerings on a stone altar.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a table or raised structure... communion table

Word family

Forms altars

Derived forms altar-clothaltar-stonealtaragealtaredaltaristaltarlessaltarletaltarlikealtarpiecealtarwarealtarwisesuperaltar

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

high altar
the principal altar in a church

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Altar dates from Old English and ultimately derives from Latin altus, meaning “high”; an altar is a raised structure for worship.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English auter, inherited from Old English altar and borrowed from Old French auter, both derived from Latin altāre, probably related to adolere (“burn”); thus "burning place", influenced by altus (“high”). Displaced native Middle English wēved.

auter Middle English altar Old English altāre Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

General Vocabulary

External links

# altar

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈɔl.tɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɒl.tə/
**Frequency rank:** 6671

## Meanings
1. A table or raised structure used for religious ceremonies.
2. A raised place where offerings or sacrifices are made to a god.

## Examples
- The couple stood at the altar to exchange their vows.
- The ancient priests burned offerings on a stone altar.

## Derived Forms
- altar-cloth
- altar-stone
- altarage
- altared
- altarist
- altarless
- altarlet
- altarlike
- altarpiece
- altarware
- altarwise
- superaltar

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: auter
- Root: altar
- Root: altāre

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English auter, inherited from Old English altar and borrowed from Old French auter, both derived from Latin altāre, probably related to adolere (“burn”); thus "burning place", influenced by altus (“high”). Displaced native Middle English wēved.

## AI Etymology
Altar is inherited from Middle English auter, inherited from Old English altar and borrowed from Old French auter, both derived from Latin altāre, probably related to adolere (“burn”); thus "burning place", influenced by altus (“high”). Displaced native Middle English wēved.

## Topics
- General Vocabulary

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