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Synonyms

palace

American  
[pal-is] / ˈpæl ɪs /

noun

  1. the official residence of a king, queen, bishop, or other sovereign or exalted personage.

  2. a large and stately mansion or building.

  3. a large and usually ornate place for entertainment, exhibitions, etc.

palace British  
/ ˈpælɪs /

noun

  1. the official residence of a reigning monarch or member of a royal family

    Buckingham Palace

  2. the official residence of various high-ranking church dignitaries or members of the nobility, as of an archbishop

  3. a large and richly furnished building resembling a royal palace

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • palaced adjective
  • palacelike adjective
  • palaceward adverb

Etymology

Origin of palace

1200–50; Middle English < Medieval Latin palācium, spelling variant of palātium, Latin: generic use of Palātium name of the hill in Rome on which the emperor's palace was situated; replacing Middle English paleis < Old French ≪ Latin Palātium

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That segment is far outnumbered by people who may fit the contemporary definition of philistines, non-religious viewers who are only in it for the pulse-pounding swordplay and palace intrigue.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

Most tourists make the trek from Lisbon to Sintra, the Unesco-designated site of the curiously Arabesque summer palace built by Portuguese kings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

He will then visit the princely palace, the official residence of the Grimaldi dynasty since the 13th century, for a private meeting with Prince Albert.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum has invited King Felipe VI of Spain to the Fifa World Cup, the Spanish royal palace has said, signalling a thawing of relations between the two nations.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

Sprays and cascades of orange-bloom petals and lily of the valley, plucked straight from the palace greenhouse.

From "Secrets at Sea" by Richard Peck

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.