'Basilica' definitions:
Definition of 'basilica'
From: WordNet
noun
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"
noun
A Roman building used for public administration [syn: basilica, Roman basilica]
Definition of 'Basilica'
From: GCIDE
- Basilica \Ba*sil"i*ca\, n.; pl. Basilicas; sometimes Basilic[ae] (-s[=e]). [L. basilica, Gr. basilikh` (sc. o'iki`a or stoa` fr. basiliko`s royal, fr. basiley`s king.]
- 1. 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]
- 2. (Arch.) (a) A building used by the Romans as a place of public meeting, with court rooms, etc., attached. (b) A church building of the earlier centuries of Christianity, the plan of which was taken from the basilica of the Romans. The name is still applied to some churches by way of honorary distinction. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Basilica'
From: GCIDE
- Basilica \Ba*sil"i*ca\, 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]