basilica

American  

[buh-sil-i-kuh, -zil-] / bəˈsɪl ɪ kə, -ˈzɪl- /

noun

• basilicas
  plural

1. an early Christian or medieval church of the type built especially in Italy, characterized by a plan including a nave, two or four side aisles, a semicircular apse, a narthex, and often other features, as a short transept, a number of small semicircular apses terminating the aisles, or an atrium. The interior is characterized by strong horizontality, with little or no attempt at rhythmic accents. All spaces are usually covered with timber roofs or ceilings except for the apse or apses, which are vaulted.

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

3. (in ancient Rome) a large oblong building used as a hall of justice and public meeting place.

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basilica British  

/ bəˈzɪlɪkə /

noun

1. 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. 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. a Roman Catholic church having special ceremonial rights

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basilica Cultural  

1. A large Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox church building. A basilica is built with several parallel aisles separated by rows of columns, ending in a semicircular structure, the apse. Saint Peter's Basilica is the church of the Vatican in Rome.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• basilican
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• basilicas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of basilica

1535–45; < Latin < Greek basilikḗ hall, short for basilikḗ oikía royal house. See basilic

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

basilica basilicas

Hindus light candles at Mount Mary, a Catholic basilica overlooking the city.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

Visitors from around the world are drawn to the scale and strangeness of the basilica.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026

The pope also announced that he would return to the basilica on 11 April to lead a prayer vigil for peace.

From BBC ● Apr. 5, 2026

"The basilica will not be lit up like a stadium," Cesareo said.

From Barron's ● Feb. 22, 2026

To the basilica and the cathedral and the painted store names in red and black.

From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez

The major basilicas have a particular connection to the Pope.

From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2025

His mosaics decorate churches and basilicas around the world, including at the Vatican.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 23, 2023

Rupnik is one of the most celebrated religious artists in the Catholic Church, whose mosaics decorate churches and basilicas around the world, including at the Vatican.

From Washington Times ● Jun. 15, 2023

With their crystalline mosaics and thin, pure light, these humbly elegant basilicas conjure the time when a strange, fervent, unyielding new cult rose from the ashes of empire.

From New York Times ● May 1, 2023

I want to see again the towering Kremlin, with its mosaic basilicas and treasure-houses, slumbering at present in quiet dreams of the past under their golden domes.

From Empires and Emperors of Russia, China, Korea, and Japan Notes and Recollections by Monsignor Count Vay de Vaya and Luskod by P?ter Vay