praetorium

American  

[pree-tawr-ee-uhm] / priˈtɔr i əm /

Sometimes pretorium

noun

1. Roman History.

   1. Usually Praetorium the palace of a provincial governor or of the consul or emperor.

   2. Often Praetorium the tent or building occupied by the general or commanding officer in a military camp.

2. a large, imposing official building or residence.

---

Etymology

Origin of praetorium

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin, equivalent to praetor ( def. ) + -ium ( def. )

Example Sentences

Some say Pilate's praetorium would have been in the military barracks, others say the Roman general would probably have been a guest in the palace built by Herod.

From Chicago Tribune • Jan. 4, 2015

Questions about the location stem from various interpretations of the Gospels, which describe how Jesus of Nazareth was brought before Pilate in the "praetorium," a Latin term for a general's tent within a Roman encampment.

From Chicago Tribune • Jan. 4, 2015

That said, he retired to the praetorium, despairing of success and awaiting events.

From Battle Studies by Ardant du Picq, Charles Jean Jacques Joseph

Mr. Oldbuck's "ecstatic description" of the Roman camp with its praetorium was spoilt by Edie Ochiltree's disastrous interruption "Praetorian here, praetorian there, I mind the bigging o't."

From The Romance of Names by Weekley, Ernest

Forcing his way through the crowd of tribunes and officers who thronged the praetorium, he had found Fabius seated before his tent, and had told his story in the fewest words possible.

From The Lion's Brood by Osborne, Duffield