basilica English · revision 1552

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1541}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /bəˈsɪlɪkə/ ''(UK)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|basilica|t=public hall; building of a court of justice]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from [[grc|βασιλική|tr=basilikḗ]], short for [[m|grc|βασιλικὴ στοά|tr=basilikḕ stoá|t=royal portico]] or [[m|grc|βασιλικὴ οἰκία|tr=basilikḕ oikía|t=royal house]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966)^(Collins 2023) the feminine of [[m|grc|βασιλικός|tr=basilikós|t=royal]], from [[m|grc|βασιλεύς|tr=basileús|t=king]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Hoad 1986) Klein thinks the Greek word for “king” possibly a loanword from a language of Asia Minor.^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In ancient history, a royal palace, and then a large oblong hall with double colonnades and an apse, used as a court of justice and place of public assembly (1541 in the OED, Barnhart and Merriam-Webster).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Athens the royal portico was that of the ''archon basileus'', the official who dispensed justice.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) The first Roman basilica, the ''Basilica Porcia'', was built by Cato the censor in 184 BC after a visit to Athens.^(MW Word Histories) Many Roman halls of justice were later handed over to the Christians as churches, so the word came to mean a church of that plan (1563).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) In Rome it was applied especially to the seven churches founded by Constantine,^(Weekley 1921) and in the Roman Catholic Church it became a title of honour given by the pope to certain churches.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1541 – an ancient royal hall or court of justice.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1563 – a church built on this plan.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1625 – the basilic vein (obsolete).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A public building of ancient Rome, oblong with a central [[nave]], side aisles formed by colonnades and an [[apse]], used as a court of law or assembly hall.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An early Christian or medieval church of similar plan, with a nave, aisles, apse, [[narthex]] and [[clerestory]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A [[Roman Catholic]] church granted certain ceremonial privileges by the [[pope]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[basilican]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[basil]]

+ * [[basilisk]]

+ * [[Basil]]

+ * [[cathedral]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}