nave

the center part of a church

Not to be confused with:

knave – unprincipled, dishonest person; villain

nave¹

plan of the 4th-century ad

St. Peter's Basilica, Rome

Italy

A. apse

B. transept

C. nave

D. aisles

E. narthex

F. atrium

nave¹

(nāv)

The central part of a church, typically extending from the narthex to the chancel and flanked by aisles.

[Medieval Latin nāvis, from Latin, ship (from its shape); see nāu- in Indo-European roots.]

nave²

(nāv)

The hub of a wheel.

[Middle English, from Old English nafu; see nobh- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

nave

(neɪv)

(Architecture) the central space in a church, extending from the narthex to the chancel and often flanked by aisles

[C17: via Medieval Latin from Latin nāvis ship, from the similarity of shape]

nave

(neɪv)

the central block or hub of a wheel

[Old English nafu, nafa; related to Old High German naba]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

nave

(neɪv)

n.

the principal longitudinal area of a church, extending from the main entrance or narthex to the chancel.

[1665–75; < Medieval Latin nāvis, Latin: ship]

nave

(neɪv)
n.

the central part of a wheel; hub.

[before 900; Middle English; Old English nafu, nafa, c. Middle Dutch nave, Old High German naba, Old Norse nǫf; akin to navel]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

nave - the central area of a church

area - a part of a structure having some specific characteristic or function; "the spacious cooking area provided plenty of room for servants"

church building, church - a place for public (especially Christian) worship; "the church was empty"

Translations

صَحْن الكَنيسَه

hlavní loď

midterskib

Hauptschiff Mittelschiff Schiff

nave barco

nef moyeu

fõhajó

kirkjuskip

navata

nava

joms

midtskip

неф корабль

hlavná loď

sahın

教堂主殿

nave

¹ [neɪv] N (Archit) → nave f

nave

² [neɪv] N (= wheel) → cubo m
nave plate (Aut) → tapacubos m inv

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

nave

[ˈneɪv] n → nef f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

nave

(of church) → Haupt- or Mittel- or Längsschiff nt

(of wheel) → (Rad)nabe f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

nave

[neɪv] n (of church) → navata centrale

nave

(neiv) noun

the middle or main part of a church.

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

And those myriads of statues, which peopled all the spaces between the columns of the nave and the choir, kneeling, standing, equestrian, men, women, children, kings, bishops, gendarmes, in stone, in marble, in gold, in silver, in copper, in wax even,--who has brutally swept them away?

View in context

Overhead, Handel's March swelled pompously through the imitation stone vaulting, carrying on its waves the faded drift of the many weddings at which, with cheerful indifference, he had stood on the same chancel step watching other brides float up the nave toward other bridegrooms.

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In the valley beneath lay the city they had just left, its more prominent buildings showing as in an isometric drawing--among them the broad cathedral tower, with its Norman windows and immense length of aisle and nave, the spires of St Thomas's, the pinnacled tower of the College, and, more to the right, the tower and gables of the ancient hospice, where to this day the pilgrim may receive his dole of bread and ale.

View in context

There was every walk and nook which Alice had made glad; and in the minster nave was one flat stone beneath which she slept in peace.

View in context

Little by little, all noises were extinguished, like the lamps illuminating the humble nave. The minister bowed for the last time to the altar and the still fresh graves; then, followed by his assistant, he slowly took the road back to the presbytery.

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The interval passed, and the married couple, returning to the church, walked together down the nave to the door.

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And beyond the circle of light, in the soft darkness of the nave, the silent people kneel or stand to watch.

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There was no one even to tell her which, of all the sepulchral slabs that paved the nave and transepts, was the one that was really beautiful, the one that had been most praised by Mr.

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The eyes of Porthos were furtively cast upon this lady, and then roved about at large over the nave.

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Paul’s, now that we nave got it on end, is a great help to the navigation of the woods, for, by the Lord Harry!

View in context

In fact, the Prince of Conde was attentively scrutinizing these two images of desolation, standing like caryatides on either side of the nave of the church.

View in context

One priest dressed in white robes sat, to represent the angel, by one of the square-built tombs near the junction of nave and transept, and three others, personating the Marys, advanced slowly toward him while they chanted their portion of the same dialog.

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