LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

cathedra

cathedra f (genitive cathedrae)
Classical[ˈka.tʰɛ.dra]Ecclesiastical[ˈkaː.te.dra]

Meaning

  1. femininearmchair (having cushions and supports)
  2. feminineceremonial chair (of a teacher, later of a bishop)
  3. femininethe office or rank of teacher or bishop
  4. femininepulpit in Church for preaching
  5. femininechair

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecathedracathedrae
genitivecathedraecathedrārum
dativecathedraecathedrīs
accusativecathedramcathedrās
ablativecathedrācathedrīs
vocativecathedracathedrae

căthē^dra, ae, f., = καθέδρα,
I. a chair, a stool, esp. one furnished with cushions and supports for women, an arm-chair.
I. In gen., Hor. S. 1, 10, 91; Phaedr. 3, 8, 4; Prop. 4 (5), 5, 37; Juv. 6, 91 al.; also, a sedan chair, Juv 1, 65; 9, 52 Rup. al.; cf. Dict. of Antiq.—
II. Esp., a teacher's or professor's chair, Juv. 7, 203; Mart. 1, 77 fin.—Hence,
B. Meton., the office of teacher: usurpare, Aus. Prof. 10, 1; also, of a bishop: tenere, Sid. Ep. 7, 4.

Origins

From Ancient Greek καθέδρα (kathédra), from κατά (katá, “down”) + ἕδρα (hédra, “seat”).

Elsewhere
  • Englishcaderfrom Proto-Brythonic *kadėr
  • Englishkeatherfrom Proto-Brythonic *kadėr
  • Englishkeytherfrom Proto-Brythonic *kadėr
  • Catalancàtedra
  • Englishcathedra
  • Frenchcathèdre
  • GermanKatheder
  • Occitancatedra
  • Portuguesecátedra
  • Romaniancatedră
Insular Romance
  • Sardiniancadira
  • Sardiniancarida
  • Sardiniancadrea
  • Sardiniancatrea
Gallo-Romance
  • Frenchchairefrom Old French chaiere
  • Englishchaisefrom Old French chaiere
  • Frenchchaisefrom Old French chaiere
  • Franco-Provençalcheyèri
  • Lorraintchaièrefrom Old French chaiere
  • Antillean Creolechèzfrom Old French chaiere
  • Haitian Creolechèzfrom Old French chaiere
  • Louisiana Creolelashèzfrom Old French chaiere
  • Louisiana Creolelashèjfrom Old French chaiere
  • Louisiana Creoleshèjfrom Old French chaiere
Ibero-Romance
  • Portuguesecadeirafrom Old Galician-Portuguese cadeira
  • Spanishcadera
  • Asturiancadera
  • Mirandesecadeira
  • Galiciancadeirafrom Old Galician-Portuguese cadeira
Italo-Dalmatian
  • Italiancattedra
  • Dalmatiancatraida
  • Dalmatiankatraida
  • Dalmatiancatrieda
  • Siciliancàttidra
  • Siciliancatrida
  • Albaniankarrigefrom Venetan carega
  • Greekκαρέκλαfrom Venetan carega
Occitano-Romance
  • Catalancadira
  • Aragonesecadiera
  • Aragonesecatiera
  • Auvergnatchadeira
  • Auvergnatchadira
  • Auvergnatchiera
  • Gasconcadièra
  • Gasconcarièra
  • Gasconcadèira
  • Gasconcadira
Rhaeto-Romance
  • Friuliancjadree
  • Friuliančhadree
  • Ladincariega
  • Romanshchadreiga
Gallo-Italic
  • Emiliancadrega
  • Emiliancarega
  • Liguriancarêga
  • Liguriancairega
  • Liguriancariega
  • Piedmontesecadregafrom Lombard cadrega
  • Franco-Provençalcareyafrom Piedmontese careja
  • Franco-Provençalcareafrom Piedmontese careja

In English words that came into English from cathedra

  • chaircathedra
  • cathedralecclēsia
  • cathedracathedra
  • cathedraticcathedrāticus

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesCathedraCathedra (καθέδρα), a seat; French, chaire, chaise; Eng. chair: but the term was more particularly applied to a seat with a back but no arms, whereas …

Quick answers

What does cathedra mean in Latin?
cathedra, a noun, means “armchair (having cushions and supports); ceremonial chair (of a teacher, later of a bishop); the office or rank of teacher or bishop”.
What is the genitive of cathedra?
The genitive singular is cathedrae. cathedra is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce cathedra?
In classical Latin, [ˈka.tʰɛ.dra]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈkaː.te.dra].
Which English words come from cathedra?
English words that go back to Latin cathedra include chair, cathedra, cathedral and cathedratic.