basilica
noun
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From their noun basileus, meaning “king,” the Greeks derived the adjective basilikos meaning “royal.” In ancient Thera there was a public building called “Basilike stoa,” or Royal portico, and it may have been the prototype of later Roman basilicas. The first of these was built in 184 ce, and by the time of Augustus, there were five basilicas in the vicinity of the forum. They were used for public assembly, transacting business, and judicial proceedings. When the first Christian churches were built, they were often modeled after the civil basilicas.
Examples of basilica in a Sentence
Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 21 May 2025
Huge crowds filed past his final resting place in the basilica.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2025
Even before Pope Francis was entombed in a Rome basilica on Saturday, conservative cardinals who felt his pontificate was a divisive disaster that endangered the church’s traditions had begun politicking to sway the conclave electing the next pope.
—Jason Horowitz, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
It's known for its history as a Christian basilica for almost 1,000 years before becoming a mosque during the Ottoman Empire.
—Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Basilica.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basilica. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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