antependium

A1N1T1E1P3E1N1D2I1U1M3
/ˌæntɪˈpɛndi.əm/

noun

The hangings or screen in front of the altar; an altar cloth; the frontal.

Similar
forecloth
OriginLatin ante →
Scrabble 16
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Meanings

nounantependium (plural antependiums or antependia)

plural antependiums · plural antependia

  1. ecclesiasticalThe hangings or screen in front of the altar; an altar cloth; the frontal.

    Synonyms: forecloth

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe hangings or screen in front of the altar; an altar cloth; the frontal.

Similar
forecloth
Also see
frontal

Origin

  1. Latinante“before”
  2. Englishantependium

From Latin ante (“before”) + pendere (“to hang”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish alttarivaate
  • alttarivaatethe hangings in front of the altar
Polish antepedium, antependium
  • antepediumthe hangings in front of the altar
  • antependiumthe hangings in front of the altar
  • frontalethe hangings in front of the altar
Portuguese antipêndio
  • antipêndiothe hangings in front of the altar
Cite this entry
APA

antependium. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antependium

MLA

“antependium.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antependium. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “antependium,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antependium.

Source: antependium on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.