A
temple (from the
Latin word ) is a structure reserved for
religious or spiritual activities such as
prayer and
sacrifice. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or
augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out on the ground by the
augur. Templa also became associated with the dwelling places of a god or gods. Despite the specific set of meanings associated with the religion of the
ancient Rome, the word has now become quite widely used to describe a house of
worship for any number of religions and is even used for time periods prior to the Romans.