temple

A temple is usually a building or place used for worship in some religions. You might think of a Hindu temple, a Buddhist temple, or the ancient buildings made to honor gods. The word also has a common body meaning: your temple is the flat area at the side of your forehead, between your eye and your hairline. So the word can point either to a sacred place or to a part of your head.

The word "temple" carries more than one important meaning, moving between religion, the body, and a few special uses. Most often, a temple is a building or place set apart for worship. People may go there to pray, make offerings, meditate, or take part in religious ceremonies. The word is especially common for Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain, and ancient religious buildings, and it can also refer to the Temple in Jerusalem in historical or religious writing.

The word also has a clear body meaning. Your temples are the flat areas at the sides of your head, between your eyes and your hair. This is why people talk about a headache in the temples or press that area when they feel pain or stress.

From there, the word also appears in figurative language. If someone says, "your body is a temple," they mean that your body should be treated with care and respect, as if it were something sacred.

There are a few other uses as well. In eyewear, the long side pieces of a pair of glasses can be called temples. In names, "the Temple" can also refer to the historic legal district in London.

Whether you picture a quiet place of worship, the side of your head, or the arm of a pair of glasses, "temple" is a word that connects physical things with ideas of meaning, history, and care.