mausoleum
[ maw-suh-lee-uh m, -zuh- ]
/ ˌmɔ səˈli əm, -zə- /
noun, plural mau·so·le·ums, mau·so·le·a [maw-suh-lee-uh, -zuh-] /ˌmɔ səˈli ə, -zə-/.
a stately and magnificent tomb.
a burial place for the bodies or remains of many individuals, often of a single family, usually in the form of a small building.
a large, gloomy, depressing building, room, or the like.
(initial capital letter)
the tomb erected at Halicarnassus in Asia Minor in 350? b.c.
Compare
Seven Wonders of the World.
Origin of mausoleum
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin < Greek
Mausoleîon the tomb of Mausolus, king of Caria
OTHER WORDS FROM mausoleum
mau·so·le·an, adjectiveWords nearby mausoleum
maurolycus,
maurras,
maury,
maurya,
mauser,
mausoleum,
mauthner's sheath,
mauvais pas,
mauvais quart d'heure,
mauvaise foi,
mauve
Example sentences from the Web for mausoleum
British Dictionary definitions for mausoleum
mausoleum
/ (ˌmɔːsəˈlɪəm) /
noun plural -leums or -lea (-ˈlɪə)
a large stately tomb
Derived forms of mausoleum
mausolean, adjectiveWord Origin for mausoleum
C16: via Latin from Greek
mausōleion, the tomb of
Mausolus, king of Caria; built at Halicarnassus in the 4th century
bc
Cultural definitions for mausoleum
mausoleum
[ (maw-suh-lee-uhm, maw-zuh-lee-uhm) ]
A tomb, or a building containing tombs. Mausoleums are often richly decorated. The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum.