Shewbread

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of bread historically displayed in a sacred context, often associated with religious rituals and symbolic offerings
2. A ceremonial loaf placed on a special table in a temple, representing divine sustenance and communion
3. A biblical term for the bread of the presence, signifying God's covenant with his people through communal meals and worship

Etymology: Shewbread is a compound of two ordinary English words, "shew" and "bread." The spelling "shew" is an older form of "show," and in this word it carries the sense of setting something out for others to see. The bread was the twelve loaves kept on a table in the sanctuary, which is why the name describes the act of displaying them rather than the food itself. The term is a direct translation of a Hebrew phrase meaning "bread of the presence" or "bread of the face," which the King James Bible renders as "shewbread." The compound's literal meaning, "bread shown," is therefore a transparent English description of a sacred display rather than a word that developed a new sense over time.

Synonyms: showbread