Word
synagogue
Phoneticssyn·a·gogue
US/ˈsɪnəˌɡɔɡ/
UK/sˈɪnɐɡˌɒɡ/
Definitions
01a building for worship
n. a building where Jewish people meet for religious services and prayer.
n. a building or place of meeting for Jewish worship and religious instruction.
“The local synagogue is a beautiful old building in the center of the city.”
“The historic synagogue features intricate stained glass and serves as a focal point for the neighborhood's Jewish community.”
Usage
Often used with the definite article 'the' when referring to a specific local institution.
Synonyms
02a congregation
n. a group of Jewish people who worship together.
n. a Jewish congregation or community organized for the purpose of religious worship.
“The synagogue voted to hire a new rabbi last month.”
“The entire synagogue gathered to celebrate the festival, demonstrating the strength of their communal bonds.”
Formal
Teaching tip
In this sense, the word refers to the people rather than the bricks and mortar of the building.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“As scholars of Judaism and education , we have been exploring how people learn about religion beyond traditional places like synagogues, Jewish schools and summer camps.” “A live stream of the service captured the tense moments inside the synagogue.” Etymology
Inherited from Middle English synagoge, from Old French synagoge, from Latin synagōga, from Ancient Greek σῠνᾰγωγή (sŭnăgōgḗ, “assembly, gathering”), from συνάγω (sunágō, “I gather together”), from σῠ́ν (sŭ́n, “with, together”) & ᾰ̓́γω (ắgō, “I lead”). By surface analysis, syn- + -agogue.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/synagogue