Etymologically
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palace

Etymology and origin of the English word palace

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
c. 1225
Borrowed from
Old French palais via Middle English
Ultimate origin
Latin (palatium)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈpæl.ɪs/, /ˈpæl.əs/[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English palais, borrowed from Old French paleis, palais and directly from Medieval Latin palacium,[2][3][4] from Latin palātium, from Palātium, the Palatine Hill in Rome,[2][3][5] where the house of Augustus stood and later Nero's splendid residence.[2][3][6] The name of the hill is of uncertain origin: perhaps from pālus “stake”, perhaps Etruscan, while de Vaan connects it with palātum “palate, vault”.[2] It is related to palatial, palatine and paladin.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The official residence of an emperor, king or archbishop: about 1225 in Barnhart, the early 13th century in Etymonline, about 1290 in the OED.[3][2][7]

Semantic evolution

The general sense, a splendid dwelling, is by about 1300 (1387 in the OED).[2][7] The Latin usage had already been transferred from the Palatine to other imperial and royal residences.[3][6] A large building for entertainment, such as a picture palace, is from 1834.[7][4] By metonymy the monarch or royal household, as in the Palace said, is from 1962.[7] The spelling palace is from about 1475.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1225 – a royal residence.[3]
  • c. 1300 – a splendid dwelling.[2]
  • c. 1475 – the spelling palace.[3]
  • 1834 – a place of entertainment.[7]
  • 1962 – the royal household.[7]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. The official home of a king, queen or other ruler.
  2. The official home of a bishop or archbishop.
  3. A large and splendid house.
  4. A large building for entertainment or exhibitions.
  5. The people who run a royal household.

Word family

  • palaced
  • palacelike
  • palaceward
  • palatial
  • Lambeth Palace
  • Crystal Palace
  • palace revolution
  • mayor of the palace
  • palatine
  • paladin
  • palazzo

Usage notes

In Devon and Cornwall dialect a palace was a cellar for storing pilchards;[8] MWU derives this word from Cornish palas “to dig”.[5]

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  4. ^ a b Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b Cresswell, Julia (2021), Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  7. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  8. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Palace.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/palace. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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