belvedere
Americannoun
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a building, or architectural feature of a building, designed and situated to look out upon a pleasing scene.
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a cigar, shorter and with thinner ends than a corona.
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Belvedere, a palace in Vatican City, Rome: used as an art gallery.
noun
Etymology
Origin of belvedere
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Italian: “fine view,” from Latin bellus “fine, charming, pretty” + vidēre “to see”
Explanation
At a park or scenic environment, you may come across a belvedere — a gazebo, tower, or pavilion designed to give you a spectacular view of the surrounding landscape. A belvedere is the perfect spot to unwind and soak in the surroundings. The word comes from Italian, meaning "beautiful view." Historically, belvederes were incorporated into grand estates and gardens to maximize enjoyment of the scenery. These charming structures, which are sometimes set on a hill or attached high up to a building as a cupola, turret, or roofed terrace, invite you to pause and take in the beauty of nature. When you picture a belvedere, think of relaxing and enjoying a picturesque sunset or a panoramic view of a lush garden.
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.
At the top of the house is a small belvedere for viewing the countryside.
From New York Times ● Apr. 20, 2016
The film opens, fittingly enough, with Miles thundering across the countryside on horseback, and ends with her dying on her back in a belvedere bathed in moonlight.
From Time Magazine Archive
Broadway has recently been devoid of the sort of play which is chiefly concerned with elegant seductions in a belvedere.
From Time Magazine Archive
As she met him in the center of the square she held out her gloved hand, warm from the muff, and they turned toward the belvedere, chatting.
From Woman Triumphant (La Maja Desnuda) by Hayward Keniston
In one corner of this courtyard a doorway gives admission to the belvedere, a little chamber with two windows, whereof one looks towards the plain behind Vesuvius, and the other gives upon Posilipo.
From Naples Past and Present by Arthur H. Norway
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.
