• Narthex

    Pronunciation

    • US IPA: /ˈnɑɹθɛks/
    • UK IPA: /ˈnɑːθɛks/

    Origin

    From Ancient Greek νάρθηξ (narthēks, "giant fennel"), later ‘casket’ (modern Greek νάρθηκας).

    Full definition of narthex

    Noun

    narthex

    (plural narthexes or narthices)
    1. (architecture) A western vestibule leading to the nave in some (especially Orthodox) Christian churches.
      • 1942, Rebecca West, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon, we were in the antechamber, called the narthex, which runs across the front of any Byzantine church ....
      • 2007, Edwin Mullins, The Popes of Avignon, Blue Bridge 2008, p. 87:One of these was Cardinal Jacopo Stefaneschi, ... who had now conceived ambitious plans for paintings to decorate the entire narthex, or entrance porch, of Avignon's ancient cathedral.
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