ciborium

C3I1B3O1R1I1U1M3
UK/sɪˈbɔəɹɪəm/

noun

A fixed vaulted canopy over a Christian altar, supported on four columns.

Similar
pyx
OriginMedieval Latin cibōrium ← Ancient Greek κιβώριον →
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Meanings

nounciborium (plural ciboriums or ciboria)

plural ciboriums · plural ciboria

  1. architectureA fixed vaulted canopy over a Christian altar, supported on four columns.
  2. ChristianityA covered receptacle for holding the consecrated wafers of the Eucharist.

    Michael came after her, solemnly bearing the teapot like a ciborium.

    1982, John Banville, The Newton Letter

    Synonyms: pyx

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA covered receptacle for holding the consecrated wafers of the Eucharist.

Similar
pyx
Also see
pyx

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekκιβώριον“the Egyptian water-lily’s cupulate seed pod”, or “a drinking-cup fashioned therefrom”
  2. Medieval Latincibōrium“drinking-cup”
  3. Englishciborium

Borrowed from Medieval Latin cibōrium (“drinking-cup”), from Ancient Greek κιβώριον (kibṓrion, “the Egyptian water-lily’s cupulate seed pod”, or “a drinking-cup fashioned therefrom”). Doublet of cimborio.

More words from Medieval Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch ciborie
  • ciborieA covered receptacle
Esperanto ciborio, ciborio
  • ciborioA fixed vaulted canopy
  • ciborioA covered receptacle
Finnish ehtoollisleipärasia
  • ehtoollisleipärasiaA covered receptacle
French ciborium, ciboire
  • ciboriumA fixed vaulted canopy
  • ciboireA covered receptacle
German Ziborium, Altaraufbau
  • ZiboriumA fixed vaulted canopy
  • AltaraufbauA fixed vaulted canopy
  • ZiboriumA covered receptacle
  • HostienkelchA covered receptacle
Indonesian sibori
  • siboriA covered receptacle
Irish cuach abhlann, cuach altóra
  • cuach abhlannA covered receptacle
  • cuach altóraA covered receptacle
Italian ciborio
  • ciborioA fixed vaulted canopy
Polish cyborium, cyborium
  • cyboriumA fixed vaulted canopy
  • cyboriumA covered receptacle
Portuguese cibório
  • cibórioA fixed vaulted canopy
Spanish ciborio, copón
  • ciborioA fixed vaulted canopy
  • copónA covered receptacle
Welsh afrllatgist
  • afrllatgistA covered receptacle
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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