retable
Definition
Noun: - An architectural screen or structure placed on or behind an altar in a church, typically holding religious images, carvings, or a reredos. It is often elaborately decorated and serves as a backdrop for the altar.
Usage Examples
- (The ornate screen behind the altar.)
- (A historical altar piece.)
Advanced Usage
- "retable of the high altar": a specific retable associated with the main altar of a church.
- The retable of the high altar was gilded with gold leaf. (The main altar's decorative screen.)
Variants and Related Words
- Reredos (n): a similar decorative screen or partition behind an altar, often synonymous with retable in some contexts.
- The reredos featured intricate carvings of saints. (The screen behind the altar.)
Synonyms
- Altarpiece: a work of art or decoration placed above and behind an altar.
- Reredos: a screen or partition behind an altar, often with carvings or paintings.
Related Idioms
- (No common idioms directly using "retable" due to its specialized, architectural nature.)