synagogue

American  

[sin-uh-gog, -gawg] / ˈsɪn əˌgɒg, -ˌgɔg /

Or synagog

noun

1. a Jewish house of worship, often having facilities for religious instruction.

2. an assembly or congregation of Jews for the purpose of religious worship.

3. the Jewish religion; Judaism.

---

synagogue British  

/ ˌsɪnəˈɡɒdʒɪkəl, ˈsɪnəˌɡɒɡ, ˈsɪnəˌɡɒɡəl /

noun

1. 1. a building for Jewish religious services and usually also for religious instruction

   2. ( as modifier )

      synagogue services

2. a congregation of Jews who assemble for worship or religious study

3. the religion of Judaism as organized in such congregations

---

synagogue Cultural  

1. In Judaism, a house of worship and learning; also, the congregation that meets there.

---

Other Word Forms

• synagogal adjective
• synagogical adjective

Etymology

Origin of synagogue

1125–75; Middle English synagoge < Late Latin synagōga < Greek synagōgḗ assembly, meeting, equivalent to syn- syn- + agōgḗ, noun use of feminine of agōgós (adj.) gathering, derivative of ágein to bring, lead; akin to Latin agere to drive

Explanation

A synagogue is a Jewish house of worship. A synagogue, sometimes called a temple or a shul, is for Jews what a church is for Christians, or a mosque for Muslims, or a temple for Hindus. The word comes from the Greek roots sun "together" and agein "bring" — it's a building where worshipers are brought together.

Example Sentences

At our synagogue men and women sit separately, so if Hersh did not attend, Jon was by himself on the men’s side, while I sat with our girls on the women’s side.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

It was his getting up on Shabbat mornings to join us at synagogue that most gladdened and baffled me.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

A 17-year-old boy and 19-year-old man have been arrested over an arson attack aimed at a synagogue in north-west London, the Metropolitan Police has said.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

Sarah Sackman, the Labour MP for Finchley and Golders Green, said: "This shocking attempt to harm a local synagogue follows a series of alarming attacks on the Jewish community in Finchley and Golders Green."

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Yet six months ago, he had given my father a thousand-dollar contribution to our synagogue.

From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok

Related Words

• chapel
• house of worship
• mosque
• parish
• shrine
• temple