Meaning & use

apse

noun·Advanced

A large semicircular or polygonal recess, usually with a domed roof, found at the end of a church.

See it in a sentence

Sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows of the church's eastern apse.

The cathedral's apse contains an ancient mosaic of saints surrounding the altar.

A note on using this word

The apse typically houses the altar in a church and is found at the end opposite the main entrance.

Words with a similar meaning

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