narthex Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun portico at the west end of an early Christian basilica or church
  2. noun a vestibule leading to the nave of a church

WordNet

Nar"thex noun
Etymology
L., giant fennel, Gr. .
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) A tall umbelliferous plant (Ferula communis). See Giant fennel, under Fennel.
  2. (Arch.) The portico in front of ancient churches; sometimes, the atrium or outer court surrounded by ambulatories; -- used, generally, for any vestibule, lobby, or outer porch, leading to the nave of a church.

Webster 1913