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

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026

An exhibition marking the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death shows how his humble life inspired the artists who adorned his namesake basilica and changed the way sacred figures were depicted.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 12, 2026

Framed by white roses on the central balcony of the Vatican's basilica, the pope called on "those who have the power to unleash wars" to choose peace.

From BBC ● Apr. 5, 2026

The extra height now atop the Jesus Christ tower means the Barcelona basilica now surpasses Ulm Minster in Germany as the world's tallest church.

From Barron's ● Feb. 20, 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

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

The Greek churches, even those which are not monastic, are far inferior both in size and interest to the Latin basilicas of Rome.

From Visits To Monasteries in the Levant by Curzon, Robert