NAVE

Nave

In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the main body of the church. It provides the central approach to the high altar. The term nave, from medieval Latin navis, was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting. The nave of a church, whether Romanesque, Gothic or Classical, extends from the entry — which may have a separate vestibule — to the chancel and may be flanked by lower side-aisles separated from the nave by an arcade. If the aisles are high and of a width comparable to the central nave, the structure is sometimes said to have three naves.

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nave

Noun

  1. The middle or body of a church, extending from the transepts to the principal entrances.

Noun (etymology 2)

  1. A hub of a wheel.
    'Out, out, thou strumpet Fortune! All you gods,
    In general synod take away her power;
    Break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel,
    And bowl the round nave down the hill of heaven...
    --Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act II, Scene 2
  2. The navel.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: nave
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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