propylaeum

[prop-uh-lee-uhm]

noun

plural

propylaea 

1. Often propylaea. a vestibule or entrance to a temple area or other enclosure, especially when elaborate or of architectural importance.

propylaeum

/ ˌprɒpɪˈliːəm, ˈprɒpɪˌlɒn /

noun

1. a portico, esp one that forms the entrance to a temple

Word History and Origins

Origin of propylaeum¹

1700–10; < Latin < Greek propýlaion gateway, noun use of neuter of propýlaios before the gate, equivalent to pro- pro- ² + pýl ( ē ) gate + -aios adj. suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of propylaeum¹

C18: via Latin from Greek propulaion before the gate, from _pro- ² + pulē gate

Example Sentences

Propylaeum, the vestibule to a Roman temple: Your body is a temple I worship toes to hair What I’d give for a chance to see ’em!

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I raise my ardent torch to your vaunted beauty rare But can’t get it through your propylaeum.

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Ducange explains it as “aedis sacrae propylaeum in porticus formam exstructum,” and says it was also used improperly for the sanctuary.

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Then Terry spelled propylaeum as "pro-pileum."

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In 1887 appeared vol. i. for November; in 1894, vol. ii., preceded by the Martyrologium Hieronymianum by J.B. de Rossi and the abb� Louis Duchesne; in 1902, the Propylaeum ad Acta Sanctorum Novembris, comprising the Synaxarium ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae.

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