al·tar
| \ ˈȯl-tər
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Definition of altar
1
: a usually raised structure or place on which sacrifices are offered or incense is burned in worship
—often used figuratively to describe a thing given great or undue precedence or value especially at the cost of something else sacrificed his family life on the altar of career advancement
2a
: a tablelike construction used in the Christian church in celebrating the Eucharist
b
: a table or place which serves as a center of worship or ritual
—often used with the to refer to the act of getting married They are destined for the altar.She left him at the altar. [=she decided at the last minute not to go through with her planned marriage to him]
Examples of altar in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Busy chocolatier Charlotte has left helicopter mechanic James at the altar three times. — Los Angeles Times, "Movies on TV this week Sept. 1 - 7, 2019: John Wayne in ‘The Searchers’ and more," 30 Aug. 2019 It’s hard to act like the Warriors were left at the altar, here. — Jeremy Woo, SI.com, "Kevin Durant Free Agency Losers: Where Do Runner-Ups Go From Here?," 30 June 2019 But Sao Geraldo Magela church, in Brazil, brought the liturgy into the 21st century on Easter Sunday — flying the eucharist up to the altar with a drone. — David Scharfenberg, BostonGlobe.com, "Innovation of the Week: Eucharist by drone," 6 Apr. 2018 The nave became the parliamentary lobby and the choir stalls the benches; the Speaker sat where the altar had been. — The Economist, "Parliaments get facelifts; but it is politics that really needs one," 27 July 2019 These days, anyone who still genuflects at the altar of cinema amid our putative streaming-service renaissance runs the risk of being labeled hopelessly retrograde. — Los Angeles Times, "Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,’ the haunting work of a filmmaker running out of time," 26 July 2019 Here, flanking the altar with its fabulous twisted green columns, is a curious painting of Santo Saverio kneeling beside the sea as a crab offers him his long-missing crucifix in its claws. — Frances Mayes, National Geographic, "Discover Italy’s most delicious secret," 11 July 2019 At some point thereafter, a decision was made to add transepts at the choir, where the altar is, to bring more light into the center of the church. — Klara Glowczewska, Town & Country, "Notre Dame Cathedral Will Never Be the Same—and That's Ok," 19 Apr. 2019 Looming large behind the altar was a photograph of Pickett inside a police vehicle, his head tilted against Brik. — Holly V. Hays, Indianapolis Star, "Jacob Pickett funeral updates: A final resting place," 9 Mar. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'altar.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for altar
altar
noun
English Language Learners Definition of altar
: a raised place on which sacrifices and gifts are offered in some religions
: a platform or table used as a center of worship in Christian ceremonies and services
See the full definition for altar in the English Language Learners Dictionary
altar
noun
al·tar
| \ ˈȯl-tər
\
\
Kids Definition of altar
1
: a platform or table used as a center of worship
2
: a usually raised place on which sacrifices are offered
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