# Bethlehem

/ˈbɛθɫɪˌhɛm/ (US)

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

## Senses

### 1. the biblical city

noun · CEFR A2

a city in the West Bank, Palestine, that is famous as the place where Jesus was born.

For teachers: a city located in the West Bank, Palestine, traditionally identified as the birthplace of Jesus and King David.

- Many pilgrims travel to Bethlehem during the Christmas season to visit the historic church.
- The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem remains one of the oldest continuously operating Christian sites in the world.

### 2. church bakery building

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a small building next to an Ethiopian church where bread for the religious service is made.

For teachers: in the Ethiopic Orthodox tradition, a small structure adjacent to a church used specifically for baking the Eucharistic bread.

- The priest entered the Bethlehem to prepare the bread for the morning service.
- Architectural surveys of traditional Ethiopian churches often document the Bethlehem as a distinct functional unit within the sacred precinct.

### 3. a psychiatric hospital

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

an old word for a hospital for people with mental illnesses.

For teachers: a historical and now obsolete term for a lunatic asylum, derived from the Hospital of Saint Mary of Bethlehem in London.

- In old stories, characters were sometimes sent to Bethlehem when they acted strangely.
- The term 'bedlam' is a linguistic corruption of Bethlehem, reflecting the notorious reputation of the London asylum in the seventeenth century.

## Examples

- Many Christians visit Bethlehem every year.
- The tour guide led the group through the narrow streets of Bethlehem to see the Church of the Nativity.
- As the traditional birthplace of Jesus, Bethlehem holds profound spiritual significance for Christians worldwide and remains a focal point of pilgrimage and political tension.

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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.