basilica

plan of the 4th-century ad

St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, Italy

A. apse

B. transept

C. nave

D. aisles

E. narthex

F. atrium

ba·sil·i·ca

(bə-sĭl′ĭ-kə)

a. A public building of ancient Rome having a central nave with an apse at one or both ends and two side aisles formed by rows of columns, which was used as a courtroom or assembly hall.

b. A Christian church building of a similar design, having a nave with a semicircular apse, two or four side aisles, a narthex, and a clerestory.

2. Roman Catholic Church A church that has been accorded certain privileges by the pope.

[Latin, from Greek basilikē, from feminine of basilikos, royal, from basileus, king.]

ba·sil′i·can (-kən) adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

basilica

(bəˈzɪlɪkə)

1. (Architecture) a Roman building, used for public administration, having a large rectangular central nave with an aisle on each side and an apse at the end

2. (Architecture) a rectangular early Christian or medieval church, usually having a nave with clerestories, two or four aisles, one or more vaulted apses, and a timber roof

3. (Architecture) a Roman Catholic church having special ceremonial rights

[C16: from Latin, from Greek basilikē hall, from basilikē oikia the king's house, from basileus king; see basil]

baˈsilican, baˈsilic adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ba•sil•i•ca

(bəˈsɪl ɪ kə, -ˈzɪl-)

n., pl. -cas.

1. an early Christian or medieval church characterized by an oblong plan including a nave with a clerestory, two or four side aisles, one or more vaulted semicircular apses, and often a narthex and atrium.

2. one of the seven main churches of Rome or another Roman Catholic church accorded the same religious privileges.

3. (in ancient Rome) an oblong building with a double colonnade used as a court of law and public meeting place.

[1535–45; < Latin < Greek basilikḗ (oikía) literally, royal (house). See basil]

ba•sil′i•can, adj.

basilica

In classical architecture, a large rectangular Roman hall with colonnades and a semi-circular apse, used primarily as a court of law. By the fourth century, it was adapted as one of the basic plans for Christian churches in western architecture, as opposed to the cruciform plan adopted in Constantinople for the east.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	basilica - an early Christian church designed like a Roman basilica; or a Roman Catholic church or cathedral accorded certain privileges; "the church was raised to the rank of basilica" church building, church - a place for public (especially Christian) worship; "the church was empty" narthex - portico at the west end of an early Christian basilica or church
	2.	basilica - a Roman building used for public administration Roman basilica Roman building - a building constructed by the ancient Romans

Translations

Basilika

basilique

basilika

basilica

[bəˈzɪlɪkə] N → basílica f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

basilica

[bəˈzɪlɪkə] n (= church) → basilique f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

basilica

n → Basilika f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

basilica

[bəˈzɪlɪkə] n → basilica

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Whatever may be the carved and embroidered envelope of a cathedral, one always finds beneath it--in the state of a germ, and of a rudiment at the least--the Roman basilica. It is eternally developed upon the soil according to the same law.

View in context

Accordingly I spent the late hours either on the water(the moonlight of Venice is famous), or in the splendid square which serves as a vast forecourt to the strange old basilica of Saint Mark.

View in context

The church of Saint-Paul has long needed a monstrance in keeping with the magnificence of that basilica, itself due to the Company of Jesus.

View in context

Ruins and basilicas, palaces and colossi, set in the midst of a sordid present, where all that was living and warm-blooded seemed sunk in the deep degeneracy of a superstition divorced from reverence; the dimmer but yet eager Titanic life gazing and struggling on walls and ceilings; the long vistas of white forms whose marble eyes seemed to hold the monotonous light of an alien world: all this vast wreck of ambitious ideals, sensuous and spiritual, mixed confusedly with the signs of breathing forgetfulness and degradation, at first jarred her as with an electric shock, and then urged themselves on her with that ache belonging to a glut of confused ideas which check the flow of emotion.

View in context

TELECOMS group BT bolstered the IT services part of its business yesterday by unveiling the acquisition of computing firm Basilica.

BT unveils acquisition of IT firm; In association with BUSINESS

TELECOMS group BT bolstered the IT services part of its business today by unveiling the acquisition of computing firm Basilica. The deal for an undisclosed sum will enable the group's BT Business arm to meet the IT and communications needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

In brief: BT expands IT

Peter's Basilica, the largest Catholic church ever built.

Cruising the Mediterranean: a 10-day tour of arts, artifacts, and grand views

Desde todo el mundo se mira con especial consideracion la basilica de San Francisco en Asis, que conserva y custodia los restos mortales del serafico santo, y la basilica de Santa Maria de los Angeles, que contiene en si la insigne iglesia de la Porciuncula: la primera esta encomendada a la Orden de los Frailes Menores Franciscanos Conventuales, y la segunda a la Orden Franciscana de los Frailes Menores.

Carta apostolica <> del Papa Benedicto XVI con nuevas disposiciones sobre las basilicas de San Francisco y Santa Maria de los Angeles en Asis, 9.XI.2005 *

In the 9th Century the saint's body was returned to the by then wealthy, thriving city to be buried beneath the basilica of the magnificent church in St Mark's Square.

Venice & the Middle East

His body will then be buried in the crypt of St Peter's Basilica.

FINAL RESTING PLACE WITH GOD'S CHOSEN FEW

Renzo Piano's newly completed basilica (AR March 2003) is an attempt to rationalise and dignify this public urge to venerate a remarkable individual and commune with the divine.

Divine intervention: Renzo Piano's huge new basilica in southern Italy reconciles the spiritual and practical needs of modern pilgrims