Apse

Apse
Apse Apse ([a^]ps), n.; pl. Apses ([a^]p"s[e^]z). [See {Apsis}.] 1. (Arch.) (a) A projecting part of a building, esp. of a church, having in the plan a polygonal or semicircular termination, and, most often, projecting from the east end. In early churches the Eastern apse was occupied by seats for the bishop and clergy. Hence: (b) The bishop's seat or throne, in ancient churches. [1913 Webster]

2. A reliquary, or case in which the relics of saints were kept. [1913 Webster]

Note: This word is also written {apsis} and {absis}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Apse — • The semicircular or polygonal termination to the choir or aisles of a church Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Apse     Apse     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • APSE — standing for Ada Programming Support Environment is a program or set of programs to support software development in the Ada programming language.This represented the second stage of the U.S. military Ada project; once the language was implemented …   Wikipedia

  • apse — apse; eph·apse; syn·apse; …   English syllables

  • apse — [æps] n technical [Date: 1800 1900; : Latin; Origin: apsis] the curved inside end of a building, especially the east end of a church …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • apse — [ æps ] noun count a curved area at one end of a church …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • apse — (n.) semicircular extension at the end of a church, 1846, from L. apsis an arch, a vault, from Gk. hapsis (Ionic apsis) loop, arch, originally a fastening, felloe of a wheel, from haptein fasten together, of unknown origin. The original sense in… …   Etymology dictionary

  • apse — ► NOUN ▪ a large semicircular or polygonal recess with a domed roof, typically at a church s eastern end. DERIVATIVES apsidal adjective. ORIGIN Greek apsis arch, vault …   English terms dictionary

  • apse — [aps] n. [L apsis, APSIS] 1. a semicircular or polygonal projection of a building, esp. one at the east end of a church, with a domed or vaulted roof 2. APSIS (sense 1) …   English World dictionary

  • Apse — Typical Early Christian/Byzantine apse with a hemispherical semi dome. This article is about an architectural feature; for the astronomical term see apsis. For the rock band, see Apse (band). Or you may mean the acronym APS. In architecture, the… …   Wikipedia

  • apse — apsidal /ap si dl/, adj. apsidally, adv. /aps/, n. 1. Archit. a semicircular or polygonal termination or recess in a building, usually vaulted and used esp. at the end of a choir in a church. See diag. under basilica. 2. Astron. an apsis. [1815… …   Universalium

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