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the principal church of a diocese, containing the bishop’s throne.
(in nonepiscopal denominations) any of various important churches.
pertaining to or containing a bishop’s throne.
pertaining to or emanating from a chair of office or authority.
Contemporary Examples

The Exit After the service, the coffin—flag, flowers, small note and all—was marched out of the cathedral.
Six Moving Moments From Margaret Thatcher’s Funeral (Video) Jake Heller April 16, 2013

They dug, demolished, and dismantled The cathedral brick by brick, looking for the leftovers of Escobar’s fortune.
Pablo Escobar’s Private Prison Is Now Run by Monks for Senior Citizens Jeff Campagna June 6, 2014

But, per Escobar’s terms of surrender, the only facility in which he could legally be detained was The cathedral.
Pablo Escobar’s Private Prison Is Now Run by Monks for Senior Citizens Jeff Campagna June 6, 2014

Thousands of people lined the streets for the Queen’s first visit to Blackburn cathedral.
Queen Performs Ancient Duty of Maundy Money Tom Sykes April 16, 2014

A former monastery and cathedral, it was destroyed and partially buried after being abandoned.
There Are Bugs in Your Coffee and Other Things I Learned in Antigua, Guatemala William O’Connor January 9, 2014

Historical Examples

The Bishop’s Palace is close to the Wye, on the south side of the cathedral.
The Motor Routes of England Gordon Home

It was at her right hand, in the second story of a house at the side of the cathedral.
The Dream Emile Zola

Some banners that adorned it remained in the cathedral till 1586.
The Cathedral Church of Peterborough W.D. Sweeting

The ‘bus was now rolling over London Bridge, and the cathedral could not be seen.
The Foolish Lovers St. John G. Ervine

It was stated that at the cathedral the civic procession “passed along the rush-strewed pavement into the choir.”
Norfolk Annals Charles Mackie

noun

the principal church of a diocese, containing the bishop’s official throne
(as modifier): a cathedral city, cathedral clergy

n.

1580s, “church of a bishop,” from phrase cathedral church (c.1300), partially translating Late Latin ecclesia cathedralis “church of a bishop’s seat,” from Latin cathedra “an easy chair (principally used by ladies),” also metonymically, e.g. cathedrae molles “luxurious women;” also “a professor’s chair;” from Greek kathedra “seat, bench,” from kata “down” (see cata-) + hedra “seat, base, chair, face of a geometric solid,” from PIE root *sed- (1) “to sit” (see sedentary).

It was born an adjective, and attempts to cobble further adjectivization onto it in 17c. yielded cathedraical (1670s), cathedratic (1660s), cathedratical (1660s), after which the effort seems to have been given up.

A Christian church building in which a bishop has his official seat (cathedra is Latin for “chair”). A cathedral is usually large and imposing, and many cathedrals are important in the history of architecture. (See Chartres, Notre Dame de Paris, and Saint Paul’s Cathedral.)

A church building in which a Christian bishop has his official seat; cathedra is Latin for “chair.” Cathedrals are usually large and imposing, and many have been important in the development of architecture. The building of a cathedral, especially in the Middle Ages, was a project in which the entire town took part. (See Chartres; Notre Dame de Paris; and Saint Paul’s Cathedral.)