edifice

noun

ed·​i·​fice ˈe-də-fəs 

1

: building

especially : a large or massive structure

2

: a large abstract structure

holds together the social edifice

—R. H. Tawney

Synonyms

• cathedral
• hall
• palace
• tower

Examples of edifice in a Sentence

a magnificent edifice with a domed ceiling

the U.S. Capitol is one of our nation's most impressive edifices

Recent Examples on the Web

At one point a bulldozer showed up, all to hack away at the jail’s edifice in the hope of revealing a hidden cache of abductees. —Richard Engel, NBC News, 10 Dec. 2024

The point of the renovation was not so much to update the edifice as to restore it to its former glory — which meant undoing a lot of mistakes. —Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Dec. 2024

The wide base is around 2.25 feet across at its widest, is finished with black wood veneer, and keeps the whole edifice stable. —Simon Hill, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2024

The edifice of countless regulations that stifle innovation and indefinitely postpone fundamental reforms is poised to collapse under its own weight. —Rita Numerof, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin aedificium, from aedificare

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

edifice

noun

ed·​i·​fice ˈed-ə-fəs 

: building sense 1

especially : a large or impressive building (as a church)