Ambon

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A raised platform or pulpit typically found in churches for preaching or reading scripture
2. An elevated structure in a place of worship used to deliver sermons or readings from the Holy Scriptures
3. A prominent feature within a religious building where clergy address the congregation, often slightly elevated for visibility

Etymology: The Greek word "ámbōn" originally meant the rising edge or rim of something, such as the raised lip of a hill or a ridge, and from that sense it came to denote a raised platform. Early Christian churches adopted the term for the elevated stand from which scripture was read and sermons were given, placing it at the center of the nave in many basilicas. Latin took the word over as "ambō", and English borrowed the Latin form, so the modern word is a direct borrowing rather than something that passed through French. The English form "ambon" is an alternative spelling of "ambo", and the two are the same word in the same sense. Because of its ancient pedigree, the term is mostly confined to architectural and liturgical writing, especially in discussions of Byzantine and early medieval churches, where the raised pulpit remains a distinctive feature.

Synonyms: pulpit, lectern, podium, rostrum, platform