noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   The upper part of a wall containing windows to let in natural light to a building, especially in the nave, transept and choir of a church or cathedral.

   "Following these signs, he beheld three or four men with bent bows, leaning from the clerestory gallery."

2. 2
   part of an interior wall rising above the adjacent roof with windows admitting light wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms

clearstoryentresolfirst floorflatfloorground floor

Example

More examples

"The German government offered to send German craftsmen to remake Notre-Dame cathedral's clerestory windows."

Etymology

From Middle English clerestory, from clere (“clear: light, lighted”) + story (“storey/story: level of a building”).

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.