noun
1. (in biblical use) a fixed or movable habitation, typically of light construction
• a tent used as a sanctuary for the Ark of the Covenant by the Israelites during the Exodus and until the building of the Temple
2. a meeting place for worship used by some Protestants or Mormons
3. an ornamented receptacle or cabinet in which a pyx or ciborium containing the reserved sacrament may be placed in Catholic churches, usually on or above an altar
4. a partly open socket or double post on a sailboat's deck into which a mast is fixed, with a pivot near the top so that the mast can be lowered
