Skip to content

ábside

apse

noun AHB-see-deh Rare

Origin: Greek apsis, 'arch, vault'

Usage Note

Ábside is an architectural term for the semicircular or polygonal recess at the end of a church nave, typically housing the altar. It is masculine despite ending in -e. The word appears almost exclusively in art history and architecture contexts.

Examples

"El ábside de la catedral está decorado con mosaicos."

Natural Translation

The apse of the cathedral is decorated with mosaics.

Explore Spanish by topic