propylaeum

American  

[prop-uh-lee-uhm] / ˌprɒp əˈli əm /

noun

• propylaea
  plural

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

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propylaeum British  

/ ˌprɒpɪˈliːəm /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• propylaea
  plural

Etymology

Origin of propylaeum

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

propylaeum propylaea

At the southern corner of the precinct is a kind of gate or propylaeum, flanked with two towers, between which are placed two coarse limestone drums.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 5 "Dinard" to "Dodsworth" by Various

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

From Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England by Cuthbert Bede

At Frankfort the dead-house occupies one of the wings of the propylaeum, which forms the main entrance to the cemetery.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 6 "Celtes, Konrad" to "Ceramics" by Various

Facing the avenue were the propylaea that formed the chief entrance of the precinct of Apollo.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 10 "David, St" to "Demidov" by Various

The Agrippeum, a covered theatre, derived its name from Vipsanius Agrippa, whose statue was set up, about 27 B.C., beneath the north wing of the Acropolis propylaea, on the high rectangular base still remaining.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 7 "Arundel, Thomas" to "Athens" by Various

Probably fearing the intense competition, these musicians intended to garner at the propylaea the first fruits of the liberality which had here not yet spent itself.

From The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 06 Masterpieces of German Literature Translated into English. in Twenty Volumes by Kuno Francke

Just below its mouth two spruces were propylaea to a little glade, our very spot.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 10, No. 61, November, 1862 by Various

The excavations have laid bare several other buildings, including an altar, early propylaea, houses for the priests and remains of an earlier temple.

From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg