basilica

noun

ba·​sil·​i·​ca bə-ˈsi-li-kə 

 also  -ˈzi-

1

: an oblong building ending in a semicircular apse used in ancient Rome especially for a court of justice and place of public assembly

2

: an early Christian church building consisting of nave and aisles with clerestory and a large high transept from which an apse projects

3

: a Roman Catholic church given ceremonial privileges

basilican

bə-ˈsi-li-kən 

 also  -ˈzi-

adjective

Did you know?

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Spread across three floors with several balconies, it is located near the town’s picturesque basilica. —Silvia Marchetti, CNN Money, 18 May 2025

The sanctuary, which is managed by Augustinian friars, has been a place of pilgrimage since the 15th century, and the previous Pope Leo elevated it to a minor basilica and expanded the adjacent convent in the early 1900s. —Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2025

The Vatican long ago had offered to help facilitate peace talks, and Francis had regularly called for peace and dialogue from the altar of the basilica. —Arkansas Online, 27 Apr. 2025

The basilica was expected to remain open until midnight Thursday unless the Vatican decided to once again extend the viewing hours. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin, borrowed from Greek basilikḗ (for basilikḕ stoá "royal stoa"), noun derivative from feminine of basilikós "of a king, royal," from basil- (base of basileús "king, prince," of pre-Greek substratal origin) + -ikos -ic entry 1

First Known Use

1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for basilica

• silica