Etymograph

English

ambonoclast

Ambonoclast comes from Ancient Greek ἄμβων ‘pulpit’.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄμβωνámbōn‘pulpit’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1861ambonoclast

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄμβωνámbōn‘pulpit’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1861ambonoclast

Earliest quotation: 1861, A. Welby Pugin, Recollections of A.N. Welby Pugin: “The principal characteristics of modern ambonoclasts may be summed…”

Formed from -o- + -clast

The story

In reference to the rood screen that separated the choir (where priests were) from the nave (where the congregation was) in a medieval church, and from which was sometimes also read.

Every English word from Ancient Greek ἄμβων

Today it means

noun One who wishes to excessively modernize churches, particularly by removing traditional screens.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Ancient Greek ἄμβων / ambonoclast

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