template (n.) Look up template at Dictionary.com 1670s, templet "horizontal piece under a girder or beam," probably from French templet "weaver's stretcher," diminutive of temple, which meant the same thing, from Latin templum "plank, rafter," also "consecrated place" (see temple (n.1)). The meaning "pattern or gauge for shaping a piece of work" is first recorded 1819 in this form, earlier temple (1680s); the form was altered mid-19c., probably influenced by plate [Barnhart], but the pronunciation did not begin to shift until more recently (templet is still the primary entry for the word in Century Dictionary). temple (n.1) Look up temple at Dictionary.com "building for worship, edifice dedicated to the service of a deity or deities," Old English tempel, from Latin templum "piece of ground consecrated for the taking of auspices, building for worship of a god," of uncertain signification. Commonly referred to PIE root *tem- "to cut" (see tome), on notion of "place reserved or cut out" [Watkins], or to root *temp- "to stretch" [Klein's sources], on notion of "cleared space in front of an altar" (see tenet). Compare Greek temenos "sacred area around a temple," literally "place cut off," from stem of temnein "to cut." Figurative sense of "any place regarded as occupied by divine presence" was in Old English. Applied to Jewish synagogues from 1590s. temple (n.2) Look up temple at Dictionary.com "side of the forehead," mid-14c., from Old French temple "side of the forehead" (11c.), from Vulgar Latin *tempula (plural taken as fem. singular), from Latin tempora, plural of tempus (genitive temporis) "side of the forehead," perhaps originally "the thin stretch of skin at the side of the forehead," from PIE *temp- "to stretch," an extension of the root *ten- "to stretch" (see tenet), from the notion of "stretched," thus "thin," which is the notion in cognate Old English ðunwange, literally "thin cheek." Or possibly associated with tempus span "timely space" (for a mortal blow with a sword). tempo (n.) Look up tempo at Dictionary.com "relative speed of a piece of music," 1724, from Italian tempo, literally "time" (plural tempi), from Latin tempus "time, season, portion of time" (see temporal). Extended (non-musical) senses by 1898.

http://www.etymonline.comnounTemenos may refer to:

• Temenos, a piece of land cut off and assigned as an official domain or a piece of land marked off from common uses and dedicated to a god
• Temenos of Samothrace, one of the principal Pan-Hellenic religious sanctuaries

1.

an edifice or place dedicated to the service or worship of a deity ordeities.

2.

(usually initial capital letter) any of the three successive houses of worship in Jerusalem in use by the Jews in Biblical times, the first built by Solomon, the second by Zerubbabel, and the third by Herod.

3.

a synagogue, usually a Reform or Conservative one.

4.

an edifice erected as a place of public worship; a church, especially alarge or imposing one.

5.

any place or object in which God dwells, as the body of a Christian. ICor. 6:19.

6.

(in France) a Protestant church.

7.

(in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) a building devotedto administering sacred ordinances, principally that of eternal marriage.

Origin

Old English

Latin

900

before 900; Middle English, variant of tempel, Old English < Latin templumspace demarcated by an augur for taking auspices, temple

Related forms

templed, adjective

templelike, adjective

untempled, adjective

temple2

[tem-puh l] 

 

noun

1.

Anatomy. the flattened region on either side of the forehead in human beings.

2.

Zoology. a corresponding region in certain animals.

3.

Ophthalmology. either of the sidepieces of a pair of eyeglasses extending back above and often around the ears.

Origin

1275-1325; Middle English < Middle French < Vulgar Latin *tempula, forLatin tempora the temples, plural (taken as feminine singular) of tempustemple

temple3

[tem-puh l] 

 

noun

1.

a device in a loom for keeping the cloth stretched to the proper width during the weaving.

Origin

1475-85; earlier tempylle < Middle French temple < Latin templum purlin, small piece of timber. See temple1

Temple

[tem-puh l] 

 

noun

1.

Shirley (Shirley Temple Black) 1928–2014, U.S. film actress, famous for child roles during the 1930s, and diplomat.

2.

Sir William, 1628–99, English essayist and diplomat.

3.

a city in central Texas.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2015.
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Examples from the web for temple

• Two previous decrees only dealt with the construction of the temple.
• There, under his direction, the saints sacrificed to build a stone temple.
• These doctrinal expansions culminated in a renewed effort to build anothertemple.

British Dictionary definitions for temple

temple1

/ˈtɛmpəl/

noun

1.

a building or place dedicated to the worship of a deity or deities

2.

a Mormon church

3.

(US) another name for a synagogue

4.

any Christian church, esp a large or imposing one

5.

any place or object regarded as a shrine where God makes himself present, esp the body of a person who has been sanctified or saved by grace

6.

a building regarded as the focus of an activity, interest, or practice: a temple of the arts

Derived Forms

templed, adjectivetemple-like, adjective

Word Origin

Old English tempel, from Latin templum; probably related to Latintempustime, Greek temenos sacred enclosure, literally: a place cut off, fromtemnein to cut

temple2

/ˈtɛmpəl/

noun

1.

the region on each side of the head in front of the ear and above the cheek bone related adjective temporal

Word Origin

C14: from Old French temple, from Latin tempora the temples, fromtempus temple of the head

temple3

/ˈtɛmpəl/

noun

1.

the part of a loom that keeps the cloth being woven stretched to the correct width

Word Origin

C15: from French, from Latin templum a small timber

Temple1

/ˈtɛmpəl/

noun

1.

either of two buildings in London and Paris that belonged to the Templars. The one in London now houses two of the chief law societies

2.

any of three buildings or groups of buildings erected by the Jews in ancient Jerusalem for the worship of Jehovah

Temple2

/ˈtɛmpəl/

noun

1.

Shirley, married name Shirley Temple Black. born 1928, US film actress and politician. Her films as a child star include Little Miss Marker(1934), Wee Willie Winkie (1937), and Heidi (1937). She was US ambassador to Ghana (1974–76) and to Czechoslovakia (1989–92)

2.

Sir William. 1628–99, English diplomat and essayist. He negotiated the Triple Alliance (1668) and the marriage of William of Orange to Mary II

3.

William. 1881–1944, English prelate and advocate of social reform; archbishop of Canterbury (1942–44)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word Origin and History for temple

n.

"building for worship," Old English tempel, from Latin templum "piece of ground consecrated for the taking of auspices, building for worship," of uncertain signification. Commonly referred either to PIE root *tem- "to cut," on notion of "place reserved or cut out," or to PIE root *temp- "to stretch," on notion of cleared space in front of an altar. Figurative sense of "any place regarded as occupied by divine presence" was in Old English. Applied to Jewish synagogues from 1590s.

"side of the forehead," early 14c., from Old French temple "side of the forehead" (11c.), from Vulgar Latin *tempula (feminine singular), from Latintempora, plural of tempus (genitive temporis) "side of the forehead," probably originally "the thin stretch of skin at the side of the forehead." Possibly associated with tempus span "timely space (for a mortal blow with a sword)," or from the notion of "stretched, thinnest part," which is the sense of cognate Old English ðunwange, literally "thin cheek."

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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temple in Medicine

temple tem·ple (těm'pəl)
n.

1. The flat region on either side of the forehead.
2. Either of the sidepieces of a frame for eyeglasses that extends along the temple and over the ear.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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temple in Culture

Temple definition

The central place of worship for the Israelites. The first Temple was built inJerusalem by King Solomon. The stone tablets received by Moses on MountSinai — tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written — were kept in the central chamber of Solomon's Temple. Solomon's Temple was later destroyed, as were two succeeding temples built on the site.

Note: A wall remaining from the temples, known as the Western Wall, is one of the most sacred places for Jews today.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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temple in the Bible

first used of the tabernacle, which is called "the temple of the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:9). In the New Testament the word is used figuratively of Christ's human body (John 2:19, 21). Believers are called "the temple of God" (1 Cor. 3:16, 17). The Church is designated "an holy temple in the Lord" (Eph. 2:21). Heaven is also called a temple (Rev. 7:5). We read also of the heathen "temple of the great goddess Diana" (Acts 19:27). This word is generally used in Scripture of the sacred house erected on the summit of Mount Moriah for the worship of God. It is called "the temple" (1 Kings 6:17); "the temple [R.V., 'house'] of the Lord" (2 Kings 11:10); "thy holy temple" (Ps. 79:1); "the house of the Lord" (2 Chr. 23:5, 12); "the house of the God of Jacob" (Isa. 2:3); "the house of my glory" (60:7); an "house of prayer" (56:7; Matt. 21:13); "an house of sacrifice" (2 Chr. 7:12); "the house of their sanctuary" (2 Chr. 36:17); "the mountain of the Lord's house" (Isa. 2:2); "our holy and our beautiful house" (64:11); "the holy mount" (27:13); "the palace for the Lord God" (1 Chr. 29:1); "the tabernacle of witness" (2 Chr. 24:6); "Zion" (Ps. 74:2; 84:7). Christ calls it "my Father's house" (John 2:16).

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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Encyclopedia Article for temple

Temple

city, Bell county, central Texas, U.S. It lies along the Little River, just southeast of Belton Lake (impounded on the Leon River) and some 35 miles (55 km) south-southwest of Waco. With the cities of Bartlett, Belton, Copperas Cove, Gatesville, Salado, and Killeen, it forms part of the Killeen-Temple Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Learn more about Temple with a free trial on Britannica.com

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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Difficulty index for temple

All English speakers likely know this word