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

In Barcelona, the basilica, funded by donations and now, more amply, by tourist dollars, has become a metaphor for dilatoriness and delay.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 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

Severus sponsored public building projects throughout the empire: Many of the most impressive surviving Roman remains—not least the Severan forum and basilica in his home city of Leptis Magna—date from his reign.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026

His remains, which will be on display until March 22, were transferred to the basilica built in the saint's honour in 1230.

From Barron's ● Feb. 22, 2026

Something very significant can be found both in the Buxheim organ book and on the instrument at the basilica of Valere: the indication to play a line of music on the pedals, with the feet.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Pope Francis, who was appointed in 2013, will be laid to rest in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, one of Rome's four major basilicas.

From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2025

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

That includes getting out into the city’s basilicas with the Santa Cecilia chorus with the sacred repertoire, like the Mozart Requiem.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 6, 2023

In bordering Umbria, thousands more were damaged when small churches and large basilicas crumbled.

From Reuters ● Jun. 22, 2022

It was level, rectangular in form, surrounded by porticoes, basilicas, courts of law and other public buildings.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 6 "Foraminifera" to "Fox, Edward" by Various