n., pl., -ma·ta (-mə-tə).
- Judaism. The platform from which services are conducted in a synagogue. Also called almemar.
- Eastern Orthodox Church. The area of a church in which the altar is located; the sanctuary.
[Ultimately from Greek bēma, step, platform.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
