Basilica

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: ba=sil=i=ca

CIDE DICTIONARY

Basilica, n. [L. basilica, Gr. basilikh` (sc. o'iki`a or stoa` fr. basiliko`s royal, fr. basiley`s king.].

•  Originally, the palace of a king; but afterward, an apartment provided in the houses of persons of importance, where assemblies were held for dispensing justice; and hence, any large hall used for this purpose.  [1913 Webster]
•  A building used by the Romans as a place of public meeting, with court rooms, etc., attached.  [1913 Webster]

Basilica, n. 

 A digest of the laws of Justinian, translated from the original Latin into Greek, by order of Basil I., in the ninth century.  P. Cyc.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Basilica, n.
1 an ancient Roman public hall with an apse and colonnades, used as a lawcourt and place of assembly.
2 a similar building used as a Christian church.
3 a church having special privileges from the Pope.

Derivative

basilican adj.

Etymology

L f. Gk basilike (oikia, stoa) royal (house, portico) f. basileus king

ROGET THESAURUS

Basilica

Temple

N temple, place of worship, house of God, house of prayer, temple, cathedral, minster, church, kirk, chapel, meetinghouse, bethel, tabernacle, conventicle, basilica, fane, holy place, chantry, oratory, synagogue, mosque, marabout, pantheon, pagoda, joss house, dogobah, tope, kiosk, kiack, masjid, parsonage, rectory, vicarage, manse, deanery, glebe, Vatican, bishop's palace, Lambeth, altar, shrine, sanctuary, Holy of Holies, sanctum sanctorum, sacristy, sacrarium, communion table, holy table, Lord's table, table of the Lord, pyx, baptistery, font, piscina, stoup, aumbry, sedile, reredos, rood loft, rood screen, chancel, quire, choir, nave, aisle, transept, vestry, crypt, golgotha, calvary, Easter sepulcher, stall, pew, pulpit, ambo, lectern, reading desk, confessional, prothesis, credence, baldachin, baldacchino, apse, belfry, chapter house, presbytery, anxious-bench, anxious-seat, diaconicum, jube, mourner's bench, mourner's seat, cloisters, churchyard, monastery, priory, abbey, friary, convent, nunnery, cloister, claustral, cloistered, monastic, monasterial, conventual, ne vile fano, there's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple.