1. a work of art, especially a painting or carved panel, placed above and behind an altar in a church

Examples

• The medieval altarpiece depicted scenes from the life of Christ.
• Visitors admired the ornate altarpiece in the cathedral’s main chapel.
• The artist spent three years creating the elaborate altarpiece for the church.
• The golden altarpiece gleamed in the candlelight during evening service.
• Museum curators carefully restored the damaged 15th-century altarpiece.
• The triptych altarpiece could be folded to reveal different religious scenes.