Masonic Vocabulary: A Glossary of Masonic Terms

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Lodge Officers and Their Titles

Every Masonic lodge is governed by a set of elected and appointed officers who hold specific titles derived from medieval craft guild practice and from the lodge's ritual tradition. Understanding these titles is the first step in masonic vocabulary.

Worshipful Master is the presiding officer of the lodge, elected annually by its members. "Worshipful" is used in the archaic sense of "honored" or "worthy of respect," not in a religious sense. The Worshipful Master opens and closes all meetings, presides over the conferral of degrees, and bears responsibility for the lodge's work during his term.

Senior Warden is the second officer of the lodge, stationed in the west. The Senior Warden's traditional role in ritual is to oversee the Fellowcraft Masons and to assist the Worshipful Master in opening and closing the lodge. The Senior Warden is typically in line to become Worshipful Master in the following year.

Junior Warden is the third principal officer, stationed in the south. The Junior Warden traditionally oversees the Entered Apprentice Masons and is responsible for ensuring that the Craft is properly refreshed at midday, a reference to the ancient practice of guild breaks.

Secretary handles the administrative work of the lodge: recording minutes, handling correspondence, and maintaining membership records. The Secretary's work is largely practical but is essential to the lodge's continuity.

Treasurer manages the lodge's finances and accounts. Like the Secretary, this is a practical office essential to the lodge's ongoing operation.

Senior Deacon is a messenger between the Worshipful Master and the Senior Warden, and accompanies candidates during degree ceremonies. The Senior Deacon typically carries a staff as a symbol of his office.

Junior Deacon serves as messenger between the Senior and Junior Wardens and assists in the preparation and movement of candidates during ritual. The Junior Deacon also serves at the inner door of the lodge.

Inner Guard (in some jurisdictions) stands inside the main door of the lodge room and reports to the Junior Warden on the state of the lodge's security. In other jurisdictions this role is combined with the Junior Deacon's duties.

Tyler (also spelled Tiler) is the officer stationed outside the door of the lodge room to guard against the approach of uninitiated persons, or "cowans." The Tyler holds a drawn sword in some traditions, symbolizing the seriousness of maintaining the lodge's privacy. The Tyler is sometimes a Past Master or an experienced Mason appointed for the role.

Degrees and Ranks

Freemasonry organizes its members into degrees that represent progressive stages of initiation and instruction. The most fundamental division is between the three degrees of the Blue Lodge (also called the Craft Lodge) and the higher degrees of the appendant bodies.

Entered Apprentice is the first degree of Freemasonry, conferred on a candidate entering the Craft for the first time. The degree uses the allegory of a rough stone not yet worked (the Rough Ashlar) to represent the uninitiated candidate, and its ritual centers on the themes of birth, darkness, and the first reception of light. An Entered Apprentice is a full member of the lodge but has not yet received all its teachings.

Fellowcraft is the second degree, representing the stage of active work and learning. The Fellowcraft degree focuses on the liberal arts and sciences, the study of nature, and the cultivation of reason. The two great pillars Jachin and Boaz figure prominently in this degree.

Master Mason is the third and highest degree of the Blue Lodge, and the one that confers full Masonic standing. The Master Mason degree enacts the Hiramic Legend, the story of Hiram Abiff, and deals with themes of fidelity, death, and the search for the lost Word. A Master Mason may visit any regular lodge worldwide and is eligible for membership in appendant Masonic bodies.

The 33rd Degree is the highest degree of the Scottish Rite, conferred by the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite as an honorary distinction. It is not earned by progressing through numbered degrees but is conferred on Master Masons who have rendered outstanding service to the Craft or to society. The 33rd Degree carries the title "Inspector General Honorary."

Royal Arch is sometimes described as the completion of the Master Mason degree. In English Masonry, the Royal Arch is considered the fourth degree and, with the three Blue Lodge degrees, constitutes "pure ancient Masonry." In American Masonry, the Royal Arch is conferred by a separate body, the Royal Arch Chapter, and involves its own degree system. The Royal Arch is associated with the recovery of the lost secrets of a Master Mason.

Core Masonic Concepts

The Volume of Sacred Law is the name given in Masonic ritual to the holy book of the faith dominant in the lodge's cultural context. In most English-speaking lodges this is the Bible. The Volume of Sacred Law is one of the Three Great Lights of Freemasonry, along with the Square and the Compasses, and must be open on the altar whenever the lodge is in session. In multi-faith contexts, multiple sacred texts may be present.

The Great Architect of the Universe (GAOTU) is the Masonic designation for the supreme being. By using a non-sectarian architectural metaphor rather than a name specific to any religion, Freemasonry allows Masons of different faiths to affirm belief in a supreme being without requiring agreement on theological details. Belief in a supreme being is a requirement for Masonic membership; atheism has traditionally been incompatible with membership.

Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth are the three foundational principles of Freemasonry, recited in ritual and printed on lodge documents. Brotherly Love refers to the mutual regard and care Masons owe to each other and, by extension, to all humanity. Relief refers to charitable giving and the obligation to assist those in need. Truth refers to the commitment to honesty, integrity, and the sincere pursuit of knowledge.

Working Tools are the symbolic implements assigned to each degree. The Entered Apprentice's working tools are the 24-inch gauge (representing the division of the day) and the common gavel (representing the breaking away of excess). The Fellowcraft's tools include the Square, Level, and Plumb Rule. The Master Mason's tools are the skirret (symbolizing the straight line), the pencil, and the compasses. Each tool carries a moral and philosophical teaching.

Cable Tow is the cord or rope placed around a candidate's neck at the beginning of certain Masonic initiation ceremonies. It symbolizes the candidate's voluntary subjection to the lodge's guidance and authority during the initiation process. The cable tow is removed once the candidate has taken his obligations. Symbolically, it represents the bond that connects a Mason to his brethren.

Cowan is a term for an uninitiated person who intrudes on Masonic proceedings without having taken the proper degrees. Historically, in the operative craft, a cowan was a stone-layer who worked without having served a proper apprenticeship. In speculative Masonry, a cowan is anyone who lacks the knowledge and obligations of the initiated Mason. The Tyler guards against cowans approaching the lodge.

Profane in Masonic usage refers to those outside the lodge, the uninitiated. The term comes from the Latin profanus, meaning "in front of the temple" or "outside the sacred precinct." It carries no negative connotation in itself; it simply designates those who have not been initiated into the Masonic mysteries.

Ritual Terms and Phrases

Due Guard is a specific ritual sign made by a Mason to indicate his degree and his recognition of the obligations he has taken. Each degree has its own Due Guard. In lodge settings, the Due Guard is given when addressing the Worshipful Master or when certain portions of the ritual require it.

Hailing Sign is the sign of recognition specific to each degree, used to identify oneself as a Mason of that degree to other Masons. The Hailing Sign accompanies the word and grip of each degree as part of the system by which Masons recognize one another.

Grand Hailing Sign of Distress is a specific sign, distinct from the degree-specific signs, that a Master Mason may give when in danger or extreme need. It signals to any observing Master Mason that immediate assistance is required. It is one of the most protected items of Masonic ritual, though it is widely referenced in published literature on Freemasonry.

The Tyler's Toast is a toast traditionally given at Masonic festive boards (meals following lodge meetings) by the Tyler. It is addressed to "all poor and distressed Masons wherever they may be," invoking the principle of Masonic Relief across all distances and circumstances. It is one of the oldest surviving Masonic traditions in lodge practice.

Trestle Board is the board or table on which a Master Mason traditionally laid his designs and plans for the day's work. In Masonic symbolism, the Trestle Board represents the Volume of Sacred Law as the design laid out by the Great Architect for human conduct. The Worshipful Master is said to draw his designs on the Trestle Board for the Craft to execute.

Opening and Closing on the Square refers to the formal ritual procedures by which a lodge is opened and closed. A lodge is said to be "opened on the square" when it has been properly constituted according to ritual requirements, with all officers in place, the Volume of Sacred Law open, and the working tools displayed. Closing on the square similarly follows a precise ritual sequence.

Symbols as Terms

Many items in the Masonic symbolic vocabulary are physical objects or geometric figures that carry specific ritual and philosophical meanings.

The Square and Compasses is the most widely recognized Masonic symbol: a set square and a pair of compasses, often shown interlocked with the letter G at their center. The Square represents morality and the rectitude of conduct. The Compasses represent the circumscription of desires and passions. Together they symbolize the Masonic ideal of living within moral bounds and keeping one's actions square with one's obligations.

The Level is one of the Fellowcraft's working tools. As a symbol, it represents equality: all Masons meet upon the level of brotherhood, regardless of their social station or worldly position. The phrase "on the level" in everyday English derives directly from this Masonic usage.

The Plumb Rule (or Plumb Line) is another working tool of the Fellowcraft, used to test whether a wall is perfectly vertical. As a symbol, it represents uprightness of conduct and the standard of perfect rectitude against which a Mason measures his actions and character.

Rough Ashlar is an undressed stone, fresh from the quarry, representing the uninitiated person before the work of Masonic education has begun. The term "ashlar" comes from the stone-masonry trade.

Perfect Ashlar is a stone that has been dressed and prepared for use in construction, representing the Mason who has been shaped by the Craft's teachings into a virtuous and capable member of society and the lodge.

The Keystone is the central stone of an arch, which locks the other stones in place and allows the arch to bear weight. In Masonic symbolism, particularly in the Royal Arch degree, the Keystone carries special significance as the stone that was rejected and then found to be the capstone of the whole structure, echoing the biblical passage in Psalms and Matthew.

The All-Seeing Eye represents the omniscience of the Great Architect of the Universe, the all-seeing divine mind that observes all human conduct. In lodge rooms, it is typically depicted radiating light, often within a triangle, and placed above the Worshipful Master's station in the east.

The Letter G at the center of the Square and Compasses has two primary interpretations in Masonic teaching: it stands for Geometry, the first and greatest of the liberal arts and the foundation of the architect's craft, and for God (or GAOTU), the supreme being in whom all Masonic work is undertaken. In some jurisdictions, both meanings are taught simultaneously.

Jachin and Boaz: The Two Pillars

Jachin and Boaz are the names of the two great bronze pillars that stood at the entrance to Solomon's Temple, as described in 1 Kings 7:21. In the Masonic tradition, these pillars stand at the entrance to every lodge room and figure prominently in the Fellowcraft degree.

Boaz, the left pillar (as you enter from outside), takes its name from a Hebrew word meaning "in strength" or "in him is strength." Jachin, the right pillar, takes its name from a Hebrew word meaning "he shall establish" or "God will establish." Together, their names are read as a phrase: "In strength shall this house be established," a reference to the divine foundation of Solomon's Temple as the archetype of the Masonic lodge.

The pillars are topped with large bronze capitals decorated with lily-work, pomegranates, and chains, as described in the biblical account. In Masonic symbolism, the decorations carry additional meanings: the pomegranate, with its many seeds, represents the abundance of Masonic knowledge; the lily represents purity; and the chains represent the interconnection of all parts of the Masonic system.

The Hiramic Legend

The Hiramic Legend is the central allegory of the Master Mason degree. It tells the story of Hiram Abiff, described in 1 Kings 7:13-14 as the master craftsman sent by King Hiram of Tyre to oversee the construction of Solomon's Temple. In Masonic tradition, Hiram Abiff is presented as the Grand Master of the Craft, the possessor of the most secret word of a Master Mason, and a figure of supreme fidelity.

According to the legend, three Fellow Crafts, referred to as the Three Ruffians, conspired to extort the Master Mason's Word from Hiram Abiff before they had properly earned it. They confronted him at each of the three gates of the temple at the hour of noon when he customarily went to pray. When he refused to divulge the secret, they struck him with their working tools, and the third blow was fatal. Hiram Abiff thus died rather than betray the secrets of his degree.

His body was buried and later discovered through the efforts of King Solomon and the Craft. A substitute word was selected to serve in place of the lost true word until the genuine one might be recovered. The legend gives symbolic weight to several key Masonic concepts: fidelity to one's obligations, the reality of moral loss and the search for its recovery, and the idea that the highest knowledge cannot be taken by force but must be properly received.

The term Widow's Son, applied to Hiram Abiff in some Masonic contexts and based on the biblical description of his parentage, has become a term of recognition among Master Masons. To call upon "the sons of the widow" is a Masonic distress call in certain traditions.

Scottish Rite and Allied Bodies

Beyond the three Blue Lodge degrees, Freemasonry encompasses several appendant bodies that confer additional degrees on Master Masons who choose to seek them. These bodies have their own specialized vocabulary.

Rose Croix is the 18th degree of the Scottish Rite, formally the "Knight of the Rose Cross." It is one of the most philosophically significant of the Scottish Rite degrees, dealing with themes of spiritual death and resurrection and drawing heavily on Christian symbolism. The Rose Cross symbol, a rose on a cross, connects this degree to the broader Rosicrucian tradition in Western esotericism.

Knight Templar, in the Masonic context, refers to the chivalric Christian order of the York Rite, specifically the commandery system. This is distinct from the medieval Knights Templar of the Crusades. Masonic Knight Templarism requires its members to be Christian, making it one of the few Masonic bodies with a specific religious requirement. The connection to the historical Templars is allegorical, not historical.

Shriner (member of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, now Shriners International) is a Mason who has completed the Scottish or York Rite degrees and joined this appendant body, known for its philanthropic work, particularly children's hospitals. The Shriner's distinctive fez and the colorful ceremonial character of Shrine events contrast with the more formal atmosphere of Blue Lodge Masonry.

Famous Masonic Phrases

Several phrases originating in Masonic ritual have entered common English usage, retaining something of their original meaning even outside the lodge context.

"On the level" means honest and straightforward. The derivation from the Masonic Level, the symbol of equality, is direct: to deal with someone on the level is to treat them as an equal, without condescension or deception.

"On the square" means honest, upright, and acting with integrity. The Masonic Square represents the standard of moral rectitude; to act on the square is to act in accordance with that standard.

"On the level and up to the square" combines both concepts: dealing fairly and acting rightly. This phrase is used within Masonic circles to affirm that a Mason's conduct meets both the standard of equality (level) and the standard of moral uprightness (square).

Other phrases with Masonic roots include "tyler'd" (describing a meeting secured against outsiders), though this usage is largely confined to Masonic contexts, and "due form", meaning in the proper, established manner, which also has wider currency.