narthex

2 synonyms for narthex, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — An entrance hall or porch at the west end of some Christian churches, opening onto the nave.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

porch

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

vestibule

How to use narthex

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

stand in the narthex the church narthex enter through the narthex

This is a specialist architectural and ecclesiastical term, not everyday vocabulary.

Etymology

Narthex comes from the Ancient Greek narthex, a word that originally meant giant fennel and, by extension, a small case or casket. Its ultimate root is thought to be a word from a language spoken in Greece before Greek itself arrived, rather than a native Greek formation.

Full origin of narthex →

Frequently asked questions

What is a narthex in a church?

It is the entrance area at the west end of a church, a kind of lobby that leads through to the main body of the building, the nave.

Is the narthex part of the nave?

No, it is a separate space before the nave, usually just inside the main doors.

Where does the word narthex come from?

It comes from an Ancient Greek word originally meaning giant fennel or casket, whose own origin lies further back than Greek itself.

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Nearby words

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