n. pl. an·te·pen·di·a (-dē-ə) A decorative hanging for the front of an altar, lectern, or pulpit. [Medieval Latin : Latin ante-, ante- + pendēre, to hang; see (s)pen- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] ![]() (click for a larger image) antependium |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.