Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of apse

5 similar words

Another word for apse is chancel. Other synonyms of apse are apsis.

Synonyms and similar words for apse

nounThe rounded east (liturgical east) end of a church that contains or is behind the altar.

  • apsisA recess or projection, with a dome or vault, at the east end of a church.
  • apsideSynonym of apse.
  • chancelThe entire end of the church in which the altar stands, including the apse and the ambulatory.
  • presbytery
  • sanctuary[Appendix:Glossary

Meaning of apse

  1. noun The rounded east (liturgical east) end of a church that contains or is behind the altar.
  2. noun The interior portion of this section of the church building, excluding the ambulatory and any apse chapels.
  3. noun A semicircular projection from any building that is similar to a church's apse.

Full definition of apse

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Questions about synonyms of apse

What is another word for apse?
Apse has 5 synonyms on Word.ws, such as chancel and apsis.
What does apse mean?
Apse means the rounded east (liturgical east) end of a church that contains or is behind the altar.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: apse (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this page: “Synonyms of apse.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/apse. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.