1. The inner chamber or sanctuary of an ancient Greek temple, where the statue of the deity was housed.
Usage: architecture; classical antiquity; also called cella

Examples

• The naos of the Parthenon once contained a massive gold and ivory statue of Athena.
• Archaeologists carefully studied the naos to understand how ancient Greeks worshipped their gods.
• The naos was typically the most sacred space within a Greek temple.
• Access to the naos was often restricted to priests and authorized individuals.
• The dimensions of the naos determined much of the temple's overall architectural design.