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temple

TEM-puhl/ˈtɛmp(ə)l/

Pluraltemples

8 meanings of temple

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A building or place where people worship a god or gods, or that they treat as holy.

    Like a church, but for a religion that worships many gods.

    They visited an ancient temple filled with statues of different gods.

    The marble temple stood at the center of the old city.

    UsageSay the temple of a god, or a temple to a god.

    Similarshrine, sanctuary

    Note
  2. 2
    side of headnouncountable
    The flat part on each side of your head, between your eye and your ear.

    She rubbed her temple to ease the pounding headache.

    A stray ball struck him on the temple and left a bruise.

    UsageSay your temples for both sides, or your left temple for one side.

    Note
  3. 3
    nounfigurativelycountable
    A place or thing people treat as almost holy, such as the main center of an activity or something carefully cared for.

    That stadium is a temple of soccer for local fans.

    The old library became a temple for serious students.

    UsageSay a temple of something: a temple of soccer.

    Similarshrine, mecca

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1, 3, 5–6

From Latin templum, meaning a shrine or temple. It came into Old English and then Middle English.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Meanings 2, 4

From Latin tempora, the word for the temples of the head. It came through Old French into Middle English.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

  • The anatomical word temple ultimately derives from Latin tempora, meaning the temples of the head. en.wiktionary.org
  • The word passed through Old French into Middle English. en.wiktionary.org