a raised place or structure where sacrifices are offered and religious rites performed
2.
(in Christian churches) the communion table
3.
a step in the wall of a dry dock upon which structures supporting a vessel can stand
4. lead to the altar
Word origin
Old English, from Latin altāria (plural) altar, from altus high
altar in American English
(ˈɔltər)
noun
1.
a place, esp. a raised platform, where sacrifices or offerings are made to a god, an ancestor, etc.
2.
a table, stand, etc. used for sacred purposes in a place of worship, as the Communion table in Christian churches
Idioms:
lead to the altar
Word origin
ME alter < OE altare & OFr alter; both < L altare, high altar < altus, high: see altitude
More idioms containing
altar
be sacrificed on the altar of something
Examples of 'altar' in a sentence
altar
The heart was placed on a small table in front of the high altar.
Deborah Cadbury THE LOST KING OF FRANCE: Revolution, Revenge and the Search for Louis XVII (2002)
So they called it off, between the steps of the church and the altar.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
But the high altar I could not see.
Travers, P L What the Bee Knows - reflections on myth, symbol and story (1989)
From the outset it's very clear that Desert worships at the altar of high literary art.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
By the way, flowers still find their way to the church 's altar.
Christianity Today (2000)
In their Brooklyn apartment, he builds an altar to her with her wedding dress at its centre.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
He saw himself standing on the altar, lost into his hatred, raging like a bird of prey.
Zindell, David The Broken God (1993)
The general consensus was the men from the Valleys would be served up as sacrificial lambs on the high altar of English football.
The Sun (2011)
A festival in a skiing resort - the high altar of the British middle classes.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Ealing, our organist got married and for his wedding he had a choir and a four-piece rock band that set up at the high altar.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
But at his wedding day this summer he stood tall and proud as he walked to the altar to stand beside his childhood sweetheart, Ciara.
The Sun (2014)
In other languages
altar
British English: altar /ˈɔːltə/ NOUN
An altar is a holy table in a church or temple.
...the high altar of the cathedral.
American English: altar
Arabic: مَذْبَحُ الكَنِيسَةِ
Brazilian Portuguese: altar
Chinese: 祭坛
Croatian: oltar
Czech: oltář
Danish: alter
Dutch: altaar
European Spanish: altar
Finnish: alttari
French: autel
German: Altar
Greek: βωμός
Italian: altare
Japanese: 祭壇
Korean: 제단
Norwegian: alter
Polish: ołtarz
European Portuguese: altar
Romanian: altar
Russian: алтарь
Latin American Spanish: altar
Swedish: altare
Thai: แท่นบูชา
Turkish: sunak
Ukrainian: вівтар
Vietnamese: bàn thờ
All related terms of 'altar'
altar boy
In the Roman Catholic church , an altar boy is a boy who helps the priest during Mass .
altar cloth
the cloth used for covering an altar : often applied also to the frontal
altar girl
In the Roman Catholic church, an altar girl is a girl who helps the priest during Mass.
altar rail
a rail around or in front of the altar table in church, often cushioned on top, at which worshippers kneel to take communion or vows
altar stone
a large stone used as an altar
altar table
a table at the altar of a church on which the elements are placed during the celebration of Eucharist
altar wine
See sacramental wine
high altar
the principal altar of a church
altar server
→ another name for server (sense 2 )
lead to the altar
to marry
sacramental wine
wine for use in a Eucharistic service
be sacrificed on the altar of something
If you say that someone or something is sacrificed at the altar of another thing, you mean they suffer or are destroyed because of that thing.
server
In computing , a server is part of a computer network which does a particular task , for example storing or processing information , for all or part of the network.