mausoleum

noun

mau·​so·​le·​um ˌmȯ-sə-ˈlē-əm  ˌmȯ-zə- 

plural mausoleums or mausolea ˌmȯ-sə-ˈlē-ə 

ˌmȯ-zə-

1

: a large tomb

especially : a usually stone building with places for entombment of the dead above ground

2

: a large gloomy building or room

she invited him out of the mausoleum of a parlour into the kitchen

—D. H. Lawrence

Did you know?

Mausolus was ruler of a kingdom in Asia Minor in the 4th century B.C. He beautified the capital, Halicarnassus, with all sorts of fine public buildings, but he is best known for the magnificent monument, the Mausoleum, that was built by his wife Artemisia after his death. With its great height (perhaps 140 feet) and many beautiful sculptures, the Mausoleum was declared one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Though Halicarnassus was repeatedly attacked, the Mausoleum would survive for well over 1,000 years.

Examples of mausoleum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Spots in its mausoleums usually begin at $46,995, according to the mortuary’s website. —Leah Dolan, CNN, 27 Mar. 2024

Just hours later, the Russian leader was in Red Square, where his face was beamed onto huge screens so that it could be seen from Lenin’s mausoleum and beyond. —Keir Simmons, NBC News, 19 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin, from Greek mausōleion, from Mausōlos Mausolus †about 353 b.c., ruler of Caria

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

mausoleum

noun

mau·​so·​le·​um ˌmȯ-sə-ˈlē-əm  ˌmȯ-zə- 

plural mausoleums or mausolea

-ˈlē-ə

: a large or fancy tomb

Etymology

from Latin mausoleum "a large tomb," from Greek Mausōleion "the magnificent tomb of Mausolus (ruler of Caria, an ancient country in Asia Minor)," considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world