apse

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apse^¹

/æps/

Sounds like apps · Rhymes with -æps

Where it comes from

From Latin apsis, hapsis, from Ancient Greek ἁψίς (hapsís, “arch, vault”), from ἅπτω (háptō, “to bind, join”).

noun apses · apsides

The rounded east (liturgical east) end of a church that contains or is behind the altar. Holonyms: church, cathedral
Similar: apsis, apside, chancel, presbytery, sanctuary[Appendix:Glossary
The interior portion of this section of the church building, excluding the ambulatory and any apse chapels.
Similar: apsis, apside, chancel, presbytery, sanctuary[Appendix:Glossary
A semicircular projection from any building that is similar to a church's apse. The college has an apse that once held a small chapel.
The bishop's seat or throne in ancient churches.
A reliquary: a case in which the relics of saints are kept.
obsolete Obsolete form of apsis (“the nearest and furthest points to the centre of gravitational attraction for a body in orbit”).
Similar: apsis, apside

apse^²

/æps/

Sounds like apps · Rhymes with -æps

noun apses

dialectal, obsolete An aspen tree.

Translations

Every language

noun semicircular projection from a building

Español	ábside, ábsida
中文	半圓形後殿 /半圆形后殿
Português	abside
Français	abside
Deutsch	Apsis
Italiano	abside
Ελληνικά	αψίδα apsída
Română	absidă
Русский	апси́да apsída

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MLA

"apse." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/apse. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

apse. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/apse

Chicago

"apse." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/apse.

BibTeX

@misc{apse_2026,
  title = {apse},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/apse},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}