Basilica

[bə'sɪlɪkə;-'zɪl-] or [bə'zɪlɪkə]

Definition

(noun.) a Roman building used for public administration.

(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'.

Checked by Hugo--From WordNet

Definition

(n.) Originally, the place 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.

(n.) A building used by the Romans as a place of public meeting, with court rooms, etc., attached.

(n.) 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.

(n.) A digest of the laws of Justinian, translated from the original Latin into Greek, by order of Basil I., in the ninth century.

Editor: Lucia

Definition

n. among the Romans a large oblong hall with double colonnades and a semicircular apse at the end used for judicial and commercial purposes—many of them were afterwards converted into Christian churches: a magnificent church built after the plan of the ancient basilica.—adj. Basil′ican.

Inputed by Inez