cathedra

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin cathedra (“seat”), from Ancient Greek καθέδρα (kathédra, “chair of a teacher, throne”), from κατά (katá, “down”) + ἕδρα (hédra, “seat”). Doublet of chair.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kəˈθiːdɹə]

Noun

cathedra (plural cathedrae or cathedras)

1. The chair or throne of a bishop.
2. The rank of a bishop.
3. The official chair of some position or office, as of a professor.

Etymology

From Ancient Greek καθέδρα (kathédra), from κατά (katá, “down”) + ἕδρα (hédra, “seat”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈka.tʰe.dra/, [ˈka.tʰɛ.dra]

Noun

cathedra f (genitive cathedrae); first declension

1. armchair (having cushions and supports)
2. ceremonial chair (of a teacher, later of a bishop)
3. the office or rank of a teacher or bishop

References

• căthē̆dra in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• cathedra in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• cathedra in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• căthedra in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette, page 275/2
• cathedra in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• cathedra in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin
• “cathedra” on page 285/3 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (1st ed., 1968–82)
• Niermeyer, Jan Frederik (1976), “cathedra”, in Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus (in Latin), Leiden, Boston: Brill, page 158/1