noun
temple
TEHM-pl
noun
1
A building used for worship, especially in religions other than mainstream Christianity.
"Tourists removed their shoes before entering the ancient temple."
"The city's Hindu temple holds a festival every autumn."
2
The flat area on either side of the head, between the forehead and the ear.
"He rubbed his temples, trying to ease the headache."
How to Use Temple
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA place of worship, or the sides of your head near your eyes.
Common pairings
ancient temple
rub your temples
a Buddhist temple
Word Forms
templed past tense, temples plural, temples plural, temples plural, temples singular
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Etymology
From Old English templ, borrowed from Latin templum, "shrine, sacred enclosure." The head-anatomy sense developed separately in Middle English, possibly linked to the pulse felt there.