temple

noun (1)

tem·ple | \ ˈtem-pəl

Definition of temple

(Entry 1 of 7)

1 : a building for religious practice: such as

a often capitalized : either of two successive national sanctuaries in ancient Jerusalem

b : a building for Mormon sacred ordinances

c : the house of worship of Reform and some Conservative Jewish congregations

2 : a local lodge of any of various fraternal orders also : the building housing it

3 : a place devoted to a special purpose a temple of cuisine

temple

noun (2)

Definition of temple (Entry 2 of 7)

1 : the flattened space on each side of the forehead of some mammals including humans

2 : one of the side supports of a pair of glasses jointed to the bows and passing on each side of the head

Temple

biographical name (1)

Tem·ple | \ ˈtem-pəl

Definition of Temple (Entry 3 of 7)

Frederick 1821–1902 archbishop of Canterbury (1896–1902)

Temple

biographical name (2)

Definition of Temple (Entry 4 of 7)

Shirley 1928–2014 Shirley Temple Black American actress and diplomat

Temple

biographical name (3)

Definition of Temple (Entry 5 of 7)

Sir William 1628–1699 British statesman

Temple

biographical name (4)

Definition of Temple (Entry 6 of 7)

William 1881–1944 son of Frederick Temple archbishop of Canterbury (1942–44)

Temple

geographical name

Tem·ple | \ ˈtem-pəl

Definition of Temple (Entry 7 of 7)

city in northeast central Texas south-southwest of Waco population 66,102

History and Etymology for temple

Noun (1)

Middle English, in part going back to Old English tempel, templ, in part borrowed from Anglo-French temple, both borrowed from Latin templum "space of sky or land delimited orally by an augur, piece of ground used for taking auspices, sacred precinct, building consecrated to a deity," of uncertain origin

Note: Latin templum has been traditionally derived from the Indo-European verbal base tem- "cut" (see tome), on the assumption that the original templum was a space "cut out" by the augur; the suffix would presumably be -lo-, with the -p- secondary. Greek témenos "sacred precinct" has been compared. More recently templum as been associated with a putative *temp- "stretch, extend," assuming a further sense "measure" (see tempo); the templum would then be a space "measured" by an augur.

Noun (2)

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, going back to Vulgar Latin *tempula, altered (with conformation to the suffix -ula) from Latin tempora, plural (taken as feminine singular) of tempus "side of the forehead, temple," of uncertain origin

Note: On the assumption that Latin tempor-, tempus "time" meant originally "stretch, extent" (see tempo) tempus "temple" has been taken as a semantic bifurcation of the same word, the temple of the head being the place where the skin is stretched tightly against the skull. Compare Old Norse þunn-vangi, Old High German dunnwangi "temple," literally, "thin-cheek."

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More Definitions for temple

temple

noun

tem·ple | \ ˈtem-pəl

Kids Definition of temple

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a building for worship

temple

noun

Kids Definition of temple (Entry 2 of 2)

: the flattened space on either side of the forehead

temple

noun

tem·ple | \ ˈtem-pəl

Medical Definition of temple

1 : the flattened space on each side of the forehead of some mammals (as humans)

2 : one of the side supports of a pair of glasses jointed to the bows and passing on each side of the head

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temple

Definition of temple

Other Words from temple

First Known Use of temple

History and Etymology for temple

Kids Definition of temple

Medical Definition of temple

temple

Definition of temple

Other Words from temple

First Known Use of temple

History and Etymology for temple

Kids Definition of temple

Medical Definition of temple

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