ciborium

/sɪˈbɔəɹɪəm/

//sɪˈbɔəɹɪəm// noun

"ciborium" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“ciborium” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A fixed vaulted canopy over a Christian altar, supported on four columns.

Key facts for ciborium
PropertyValue
Headwordciborium
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/sɪˈbɔəɹɪəm/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “ciborium” sits in English frequency

ciborium falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

ciborium is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /sɪˈbɔəɹɪəm/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for ciborium, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Medieval Latin cibōrium (“drinking-cup”), from Ancient Greek κιβώριον (kibṓrion, “the Egyptian water-lily’s cupulate seed pod”, or “a drinking-cup fashioned therefrom”). Doublet of cimborio. The correct English form is ciborium, spelled C-I-B-O-R-I-U-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    A fixed vaulted canopy over a Christian altar, supported on four columns.
  2. 2
    A covered receptacle for holding the consecrated wafers of the Eucharist.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin cibōrium (“drinking-cup”), from Ancient Greek κιβώριον (kibṓrion, “the Egyptian water-lily’s cupulate seed pod”, or “a drinking-cup fashioned therefrom”). Doublet of cimborio.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "ciborium"?
"ciborium" is spelled C-I-B-O-R-I-U-M. The IPA pronunciation is /sɪˈbɔəɹɪəm/.
What does "ciborium" mean?
As a noun, "ciborium" means: A fixed vaulted canopy over a Christian altar, supported on four columns.
How do you pronounce "ciborium"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ciborium" is /sɪˈbɔəɹɪəm/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "ciborium"?
From Medieval Latin cibōrium (“drinking-cup”), from Ancient Greek κιβώριον (kibṓrion, “the Egyptian water-lily’s cupulate seed pod”, or “a drinking-cup fashioned therefrom”). Doublet of cimborio. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “ciborium”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-I-B-O-R-I-U-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /sɪˈbɔəɹɪəm/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list