temple
TEHM-pl
Temple (noun) means a building used for worship, especially in religions other than mainstream Christianity. Example: “Tourists removed their shoes before entering the ancient temple.”
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."
"We sat quietly in the temple while the monks chanted."
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."
"The tight glasses pressed against her temples and gave her a headache."
"A small vein pulsed at his temple as he waited for the news."
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
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like temple.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- temples
- Third person singular
- temples
- Past tense
- templed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Tourists removed their shoes before entering the ancient _____.
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.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for temple
See all rhymes for temple →Frequently asked questions
What does “temple” mean?
The word “temple” means a building used for worship, especially in religions other than mainstream Christianity. In plain terms, a place of worship, or the sides of your head near your eyes.
How do you pronounce “temple”?
“Temple” is pronounced TEHM-pl (/ˈtɛm.pl̩/ in IPA).
How do you use “temple” in a sentence?
Here is “temple” used in a sentence: “Tourists removed their shoes before entering the ancient temple.”
What is another word for “temple”?
Words with a similar meaning to “temple” include house of worship, place of worship, fane and shrine.
What part of speech is “temple”?
“Temple” is a noun.
Where does the word “temple” come from?
The word “temple” comes from Latin. 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.
Is “temple” a common word?
“Temple” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “temple” have?
“Temple” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a building used for worship, especially in religions other than mainstream Christianity.
What is the difference between a temple and a church?
A church is a place of worship specifically for Christians. Temple is the broader word, used for houses of worship in many other religions, including Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and ancient Greek or Roman faiths, and for many Jewish congregations. In short, temples belong to a wider range of traditions than churches.
What is the difference between a temple and a mosque?
A mosque is the specific name for a Muslim place of worship, while temple is a general term for houses of worship in many other religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Muslims do not usually call their place of worship a temple; 'mosque' is the correct and expected word.
Which religions worship in temples?
Many do. Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Jains all worship in temples, as did the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians. Many Jewish congregations, especially Reform ones, call their synagogue a temple. The word suits almost any faith outside mainstream Christianity, which typically uses 'church' instead.
Why is the side of the head also called the temple?
This is a separate word that happens to share the same spelling. The temple on the head, the flat area beside the forehead, comes from a different Latin root and is unrelated to the place of worship. English simply ended up with two identical-looking words carrying entirely different meanings.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include temple:
