cathedral

The word “cathedral” means the main church of a diocese, home to a bishop's official seat. In plain terms, a major church that serves as a bishop's headquarters, or loosely, any grand, imposing building.

“Cathedral” is pronounced kuh-THEED-ruhl (/kəˈθiːdɹəl/ in IPA).

Here is “cathedral” used in a sentence: “Tourists queue for hours to see the stained-glass windows of the cathedral.”

“Cathedral” is a noun.

The word “cathedral” comes from Latin. From Latin cathedralis, "of a bishop's chair," from cathedra ("seat, throne"), ultimately from Greek kathedra.

“Cathedral” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Cathedral” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the main church of a diocese, home to a bishop's official seat.

Every cathedral is a church, but not every church is a cathedral. A cathedral is specifically the main church of a diocese and contains the bishop's official seat, while an ordinary church has no such role. Size alone does not make a building a cathedral — a small church can be one if it holds the bishop's seat.

A cathedral is defined by its function: it houses a bishop's seat and serves as the main church of a diocese. A basilica is either an honorary title granted to certain important churches or an architectural form with a long central nave. The two can overlap, so a single building may be both a cathedral and a basilica.

No. Any Christian denomination organized into dioceses led by bishops — including Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and some Lutheran churches — has cathedrals. A cathedral is simply the church that holds the bishop's official seat, whatever the denomination.

Yes. Cathedral is used figuratively for any structure or space that feels vast, grand, or awe-inspiring, as in "a cathedral of steel and glass." It also appears in fixed phrases like "cathedral ceiling," a high, vaulted ceiling in a house.