Meanings
plural ambonoclasts
- derogatoryOne who wishes to excessively modernize churches, particularly by removing traditional screens.
"ambonoclasts who destroyed so much screenwork during the last century ..."
1915, Edward Walford et al., The Antiquary, page 3312 more examples
"The principal characteristics of modern ambonoclasts may be summed up as follows:"
1861, A. Welby Pugin, Recollections of A.N. Welby Pugin, and His Father, Augustus Pugin: With Notices of Their Works, page 153"Wyatt's policy, too, was to remove screens and to open a building from end to end: he was an ambonoclast. "
1931, Basil Clarke, Church Builders of the Nineteenth Century: A Study of the Gothic Revival in England, Macmillan, page 66
Origin
- Ancient Greekἄμβων“pulpit”
- Englishambonoclast
From Ancient Greek ἄμβων (ámbōn, “pulpit”) + -o- + -clast. In reference to the rood screen that separated the choir (where priests were) from the nave (where the congregation was) in a medieval church, and from which was sometimes also read.
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
ambonoclast. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ambonoclast
“ambonoclast.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ambonoclast. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ambonoclast,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ambonoclast.
Source: ambonoclast on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.