The vocabulary traditionally used to describe the area and the cultrelated structures of a sanctuary has led to a considerable confusion about their actual function. A closer examination of the current terminology will make it possible to clarify its semantic fields and its modern uses. I will reconsider the area of the sanctuary, the hieron and the temenos, and its boundaries. Finally, some terms designating components of sacred space, such as the naos and the thesaurus, will be also reconsidered.