synagogue
n. countablen. a building where Jewish people meet to pray and study. It is a central place for the Jewish community to gather.
n. a building or place of meeting for Jewish worship and religious instruction.
The local synagogue holds services every Friday evening.
Members of the community gathered at the synagogue to celebrate the holiday and share a traditional meal.
The historic synagogue features intricate stained glass and traditional architecture that reflect the long history of the local Jewish congregation.
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.
Often used with the definite article when referring to a specific local congregation or building.
Last updated May 6, 2026