Raised platforms or tables in religious buildings where offerings are made or sacred ceremonies are performed.
From Latin 'altare' (high place); possibly connected to 'altus' (high); the word entered English via Old French and has been used for Christian and other religious structures since medieval times.
Altars reveal a universal human impulse—virtually every culture created elevated sacred spaces to make spiritual transactions feel more significant, suggesting we're all wired to elevate the holy above the everyday.
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