— tabernacular /tab'euhr nak"yeuh leuhr/ , adj.
/tab"euhr nak'euhl/ , n. , v. , tabernacled, tabernacling .
n.
1. any place or house of worship, esp. one designed for a large congregation.
2. ( often cap. ) the portable sanctuary in use by the Israelites from the time of their wandering in the wilderness after the Exodus from Egypt to the building of the Temple in Jerusalem by Solomon. Ex. 25-27.
3. Eccles. an ornamental receptacle for the reserved Eucharist, now generally found on the altar.
4. a canopied niche or recess, as for an image or icon.
5. a temporary dwelling or shelter, as a tent or hut.
6. a dwelling place.
7. the human body as the temporary abode of the soul.
v.t. , v.i.
8. to place or dwell in, or as if in, a tabernacle.
[ 1200-50; ME tabernaculum, L: tent, equiv. to tabern ( a ) hut, stall, inn (cf. TAVERN) + -aculum, prob. extracted from hibernaculum winter quarters (see HIBERNACULUM) ]