entry
tabernacle
/ˈtæbərnækəl/portable sacred tent; holy dwelling
From Latin taberna (hut).
from Old French tabernacle "the Jewish Tabernacle; tent, canopy; tomb, monument" (12c.)
+1 more sourcefrom Latin tabernaculum "tent," especially "a tent of an augur" (for taking observations), diminutive of taberna "hut,...
+1 more sourcefrom Old French tabernacle "the Jewish Tabernacle; tent, canopy; tomb, monument" (12c.)
+1 more sourcefrom Old French tabernacle "the Jewish Tabernacle; tent, canopy; tomb, monument" (12c.)
+1 more sourceWord Ancestry
from Old French tabernacle "the Jewish Tabernacle; tent, canopy; tomb, monument" (12c.)
+1 more sourcefrom Latin tabernaculum "tent," especially "a tent of an augur" (for taking observations), diminutive of taberna "hut,...
+1 more sourcefrom Old French tabernacle "the Jewish Tabernacle; tent, canopy; tomb, monument" (12c.)
+1 more sourcefrom Old French tabernacle "the Jewish Tabernacle; tent, canopy; tomb, monument" (12c.)
+1 more sourceA little Latin booth ended up becoming one of the Bible’s most solemn words. Roman speakers used taberna for a hut or shop, then made the softer little form tabernaculum for a tent — the sort an augur might set up to watch the sky and read the gods’ mood. By the time French monks and translators got hold of it, the word had been pulled into scripture, where it named the Israelites’ portable holy tent, and later even the body itself as a temporary shelter for the soul. That’s why tabernacle sits in the same family as tavern, which began life as the same kind of humble roadside shelter. A word that once meant “booth” now points to the most sacred room in the house — which is a pretty wild promotion for a hut.
The Story
A little Latin booth ended up becoming one of the Bible’s most solemn words. Roman speakers used taberna for a hut or shop, then made the softer little form tabernaculum for a tent — the sort an augur might set up to watch the sky and read the gods’ mood. By the time French monks and translators got hold of it, the word had been pulled into scripture, where it named the Israelites’ portable holy tent, and later even the body itself as a temporary shelter for the soul. That’s why tabernacle sits in the same family as tavern, which began life as the same kind of humble roadside shelter. A word that once meant “booth” now points to the most sacred room in the house — which is a pretty wild promotion for a hut.
Modern Usage
in Quebec French profanity, a clipped expletive: tabarnak/tabernacle
Popularized by: Quebec French Catholic swear culture
Notable References
- Urban Dictionary entries for Tabarnak
Kin & Kindred
From 'taberna'·hut, booth, shed, tavern
Derived Terms
English words from this root