# Bethesda

/bəˈθɛzdə/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bethesda
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. biblical pool

noun · CEFR B2

a pool in Jerusalem mentioned in the Bible where people went to be healed.

For teachers: a pool in Jerusalem, described in the New Testament (John 5), associated with miraculous healing.

- In the Bible, a man who could not walk waited by the pool of Bethesda for a miracle.
- The narrative of the healing at the pool of Bethesda serves as a central theological point in the Gospel of John.

### 2. place of healing

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

a literary word for any place where the water or environment can cure illnesses.

For teachers: a poetic or literary term for any location or body of water believed to possess curative or restorative properties.

- The mountain spring became a local Bethesda for those seeking a cure for their aches.
- The poet described the secluded lake as a natural Bethesda, where the weary could find both physical and spiritual restoration.

### 3. geographic location

noun · CEFR B1

the name of several towns, most famously a large city in Maryland, USA.

For teachers: a toponym for various locations, most notably an unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Maryland, known as a hub for biomedical research.

- Many people who work in Washington, D.C., live in nearby Bethesda.
- Bethesda is home to several significant institutions, including the National Institutes of Health and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

## Examples

- The old hotel is a bethesda for tired travelers.
- After weeks of illness, the quiet mountain cabin became a bethesda where she finally rested and recovered.
- The ancient spa town, with its mineral-rich waters and century-old baths, serves as a modern bethesda for those seeking physical and mental restoration.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.