altar

noun

al·​tar ˈȯl-tər How to pronounce altar (audio)
often attributive
1
: a usually raised structure or place on which sacrifices are offered or incense is burned in worship
often used figuratively to describe a thing given great or undue precedence or value especially at the cost of something else
sacrificed his family life on the altar of career advancement
2
a
: a tablelike construction used in the Christian church in celebrating the Eucharist
b
: a table or place which serves as a center of worship or ritual
often used with the to refer to the act of getting married
They are destined for the altar.
She left him at the altar. [=she decided at the last minute not to go through with her planned marriage to him]

Examples of altar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And as a teaser for the next batch of episodes showed, both Blackwell and Presnell are going to reconnect with their former flames, which will certainly make for a rocky road to the altar. Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 19 Feb. 2024 Our leading companies must see that there is another way forward—a future where single-use products aren't just a tool to increase brand power and drive visibility, where sustainability and consideration of the environment aren't sacrificed at the altar of the dollar. Neil D'souza, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 That night, Hunter-Smith set up an altar for all of them in her home, putting out water, coffee, salt, sugar and flowers alongside their pictures. Sophia Liang, The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024 The lobby bar is framed by an altar of portraits depicting dance music legends Larry Levan, Frankie Knuckles and the late EDM superstar Avicii. August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2024 Our nerves are sinews, our tears and blood have been sacrificed on the altar of this nation’s avarice. Cynthia Greenlee, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024 My literary tasks kept me fully occupied; my apprenticeship at the altar of technique, craft; the devilish intricacies of paragraphing, punctuation, dialogue placement. Truman Capote, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2024 After getting to know each other through a wall in small isolation rooms called pods for about 10 days, participants get engaged without ever having seen each other, and then spend a month living together before meeting at the altar to commit or break it off. TIME, 12 Feb. 2024 Bella initially leaves Max at the altar and decides to return to her/Victoria’s old life with Alfie. Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 10 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'altar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English alter, from Old English altar, from Latin altare; probably akin to Latin adolēre to burn up

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of altar was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near altar

Cite this Entry

“Altar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/altar. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

altar

noun
al·​tar ˈȯl-tər How to pronounce altar (audio)
1
: a raised place on which sacrifices are offered
2
: a platform or table used as a center of worship
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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