retable

What is another word for retable? Here is its meaning, with related words and examples.

Noun — A shelf or table set behind an altar for holding images or sacred objects.

We haven't recorded synonyms for retable yet. You can still read its full definition, where it comes from, or words that rhyme with it.

How to use retable

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

carved retable altar retable medieval retable wooden retable

Retable is a specialist term used mainly in discussions of church architecture and furnishings.

Etymology

Retable was borrowed into English from French retable, which itself goes back to Medieval Latin retrotabulum, a word built from parts meaning behind and table. The sense follows the object's position directly behind the altar.

Full origin of retable →

Frequently asked questions

What does retable mean?

A retable is a shelf or table-like structure set behind an altar, used to display images or holy objects.

Is a retable the same as a reredos?

The two terms are often used interchangeably, since both describe a decorated structure rising behind an altar.

Where would you find a retable?

Retables are found in churches, positioned directly behind the altar.

Nearby words

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