edifice

/ˈɛdəfəs/

Other forms: edifices

Edifice means a building, but it doesn't mean just any building. To merit being called an edifice, a building must be important. A small but elegant temple can be an edifice, and so can a towering sky scraper.

The meaning of edifice has expanded to include a system of ideas — when it is complicated enough to be considered to have walls and a roof, then it is an edifice. You could say that basic facts of addition and subtraction are the foundation on which the edifice of higher math rests.

Definitions of edifice

noun
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

“it was an imposing edifice”

synonyms: building

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examples:
Independence Hall
the building in Philadelphia where the Declaration of Independence was signed

Houses of Parliament
the building in which the House of Commons and the House of Lords meet

types:
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abattoir, butchery, shambles, slaughterhouse
a building where animals are butchered

apartment building, apartment house
a building that is divided into apartments

architecture
an architectural product or work

aviary, bird sanctuary, volary
a building where birds are kept

bathhouse, bathing machine
a building containing dressing rooms for bathers

bowling alley
a building that contains several alleys for bowling

center, centre
a building dedicated to a particular activity

chapterhouse
a building attached to a monastery or cathedral; used as a meeting place for the chapter

club, clubhouse
a building that is occupied by a social club

dorm, dormitory, hall, residence hall, student residence
a college or university building containing living quarters for students

farm building
a building on a farm

feedlot
a building where livestock are fattened for market

firetrap
a building that would be hard to escape from if it were to catch fire

gambling den, gambling hell, gambling house, gaming house
a public building in which a variety of games of chance can be played (operated as a business)

gazebo, summerhouse
a small roofed building affording shade and rest

government building
a building that houses a branch of government

glasshouse, greenhouse, nursery
a building with glass walls and roof; for the cultivation and exhibition of plants under controlled conditions

hall
a large building for meetings or entertainment

hall
a large building used by a college or university for teaching or research

Hall of Fame
a building containing trophies honoring famous people

hotel
a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services

casino-hotel, hotel-casino
a building that houses both a hotel and a casino

house
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

house
a building in which something is sheltered or located

library
a building that houses a collection of books and other materials

health facility, healthcare facility, medical building
building where medicine is practiced

ministry
building where the business of a government department is transacted

dead room, morgue, mortuary
a building (or room) where dead bodies are kept before burial or cremation

observatory
a building designed and equipped to observe astronomical phenomena

office block, office building
a building containing offices where work is done

opium den
a building where opium is sold and used

outbuilding
a building that is subordinate to and separate from a main building

packinghouse
a building where foodstuffs are processed and packed

house of God, house of prayer, house of worship, place of worship
any building where congregations gather for prayer

planetarium
a building housing an instrument for projecting the positions of the planets onto a domed ceiling

presbytery
building reserved for the officiating clergy

eatery, eating house, eating place, restaurant
a building where people go to eat

rest house
a building used for shelter by travelers (especially in areas where there are no hotels)

rink, skating rink
building that contains a surface for ice skating or roller skating

Roman building
a building constructed by the ancient Romans

rotunda
a building having a circular plan and a dome

ruin
a ruined building

school, schoolhouse
a building where young people receive education

shooting gallery
a building (usually abandoned) where drug addicts buy and use heroin

signal box, signal tower
a building from which signals are sent to control the movements of railway trains

skyscraper
a very tall building with many stories

student union
a building on a college campus dedicated to social and organizational activities of the student body

tap house, tavern
a building with a bar that is licensed to sell alcoholic drinks

telco building, telecom hotel
a building that houses telecommunications equipment

temple
an edifice devoted to special or exalted purposes

house, theater, theatre
a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented

bagnio, bawdyhouse, bordello, brothel, cathouse, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, sporting house
a building where prostitutes are available

mission
a building or compound used by a group carrying out religious and humanitarian work

arena theater, theater in the round
a theater arranged with seats around at least three sides of the stage

barn
an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals

Roman basilica, basilica
a Roman building used for public administration

bagnio, bathhouse
a building containing public baths

beach house
a house built on or near a beach

beer garden
tavern with an outdoor area (usually resembling a garden) where beer and other alcoholic drinks are served

belvedere
a gazebo sited to command a fine view

bethel
a house of worship (especially one for sailors)

bistro
a small informal restaurant; serves wine

boarding house, boardinghouse
a private house that provides accommodations and meals for paying guests

brasserie
a small restaurant serving beer and wine as well as food; usually cheap

brewpub
a combination brewery and restaurant; beer is brewed for consumption on the premises and served along with food

bucket shop
(formerly) a cheap saloon selling liquor by the bucket

bungalow, cottage
a small house with a single story

burn center
a center where patients with severe burns can be treated

cabin
a small house built of wood; usually in a wooded area

cafe, coffee bar, coffee shop, coffeehouse
a small restaurant where drinks and snacks are sold

cafeteria
a restaurant where you serve yourself and pay a cashier

call center, call centre
a center equipped to handle a large volume of telephone calls (especially for taking orders or serving customers)

canteen
restaurant in a factory; where workers can eat

canteen, mobile canteen
a restaurant outside; often for soldiers or policemen

capitol
a building occupied by a state legislature

casino, gambling casino
a public building for gambling and entertainment

chalet
a Swiss house with a sloping roof and wide eaves or a house built in this style

chancellery
a government building housing the office of a chancellor

chapel
a place of worship that has its own altar

chapterhouse, frat house, fraternity house
a house used as a residence by a chapter of a fraternity

chicken coop, coop, hencoop, henhouse
a farm building for housing poultry

church, church building
a place for public (especially Christian) worship

cinema, movie house, movie theater, movie theatre, picture palace
a theater where films are shown

city hall
a building that houses administrative offices of a municipal government

clinic
a healthcare facility for outpatient care

carriage house, coach house, remise
a small building for housing coaches and carriages and other vehicles

civic center, community center
a center where the members of a community can gather for social or cultural activities

conference center, conference house
a center where conferences can be conducted

conservatory, hothouse, indoor garden
a greenhouse in which plants are arranged in a pleasing manner

conservatoire, conservatory
a schoolhouse with special facilities for fine arts

control center
the operational center for a group of related activities

conventicle, meetinghouse
a building for religious assembly (especially Nonconformists, e.g., Quakers)

country house
a house (usually large and impressive) on an estate in the country

courthouse
a building that houses judicial courts

courthouse
a government building that houses the offices of a county government

crematorium, crematory
a mortuary where corpses are cremated

customhouse, customshouse
a government building where customs are collected and where ships are cleared to enter or leave the country

day school
a school building without boarding facilities

detached house, single dwelling
a house that stands alone

diner
a restaurant that resembles a dining car

dinner theater, dinner theatre
a theater at which dinner is included in the price of admission

diplomatic building
government building in which diplomats live or work

doll's house, dollhouse
a house so small that it is likened to a child's plaything

duplex, duplex house, semidetached house
a house with two units sharing a common wall

farmhouse
house for a farmer and family

field house, sports arena
a building for indoor sports

fleabag
a run-down hotel

funeral chapel, funeral church, funeral home, funeral parlor, funeral parlour, funeral-residence
a mortuary where those who knew the deceased can come to pay their last respects

garage
an outbuilding (or part of a building) for housing automobiles

gatehouse
a house built at a gateway; usually the gatekeeper's residence

greasy spoon
a small restaurant specializing in short-order fried foods

grill, grillroom
a restaurant where food is cooked on a grill

guesthouse
a house separate from the main house; for housing guests

guildhall
the hall of a guild or corporation

hacienda
the main house on a ranch or large estate

hall of residence
a university dormitory

hash house
an inexpensive restaurant

home theater, home theatre
television and video equipment designed to reproduce in the home the experience of being in a movie theater

hospital, infirmary
a health facility where patients receive treatment

auberge, hostel, hostelry, inn, lodge
a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers

icehouse
a house for storing ice

ice, ice rink, ice-skating rink
a rink with a floor of ice for ice hockey or ice skating

dog house, doghouse, kennel
outbuilding that serves as a shelter for a dog

little theater, little theatre
a small theater for experimental drama or collegiate or community groups

hunting lodge, lodge
a small (rustic) house used as a temporary shelter

lodging house, rooming house
a house where rooms are rented

lunchroom
a restaurant (in a facility) where lunch can be purchased

lyceum
a public hall for lectures and concerts

maisonette, maisonnette
a small house

hall, manse, mansion, mansion house, residence
a large and imposing house

masjid, musjid
(Islam) a Muslim place of worship

massage parlor
a place where illicit sex is available under the guise of therapeutic massage

meat house
a small house (on a farm) where meat is stored

mosque
(Islam) a Muslim place of worship that usually has a minaret

court, motor hotel, motor inn, motor lodge, tourist court
a hotel for motorists; provides direct access from rooms to parking area

music hall, vaudeville theater, vaudeville theatre
a theater in which vaudeville is staged

oast house
a building containing an oast (a kiln for drying hops); usually has a conical or pyramidal roof

opera, opera house
a building where musical dramas are performed

earth-closet, jakes, outhouse, privy
a small outbuilding with a bench having holes through which a user can defecate

gin mill, pothouse, pub, public house, saloon, taphouse
tavern consisting of a building with a bar and public rooms; often provides light meals

pump house, pumping station
a house where pumps (e.g. to irrigate) are installed and operated

ranch house
a one story house with a low pitched roof

rathskeller
a tavern below street level featuring beer; originally a German restaurant in the basement of city hall

research center, research facility
a center where research is done

residence
the official house or establishment of an important person (as a sovereign or president)

resort hotel, spa
a fashionable hotel usually in a resort area

Ritz
an ostentatiously elegant hotel

rotisserie
a restaurant that specializes in roasted and barbecued meats

row house, town house
a house that is one of a row of identical houses situated side by side and sharing common walls

safe house
a house used as a hiding place or refuge by members of certain organizations

saltbox
a type of house built in New England; has two stories in front and one behind

service club
a recreational center for servicemen

settlement house
a center in an underprivileged area that provides community services

shed
an outbuilding with a single story; used for shelter or storage

shrine
a place of worship hallowed by association with some sacred thing or person

ski lodge
a hotel at a ski resort

meat house, smokehouse
a small house where smoke is used to cure meat or fish

adobe house, sod house, soddy
a house built of sod or adobe laid in horizontal courses

solar house
a house designed to use solar radiation for heating; usually has large areas of glass in front of heat-absorbing materials

horse barn, stable, stalls
a farm building for housing horses or other livestock

stash house
a house where weapons and supplies are hidden

Statehouse
a government building in which a state legislature meets

chophouse, steakhouse
a restaurant that specializes in steaks

student center
a center for student activities at a college or university

synagogue, tabernacle, temple
(Judaism) the place of worship for a Jewish congregation

tea parlor, tea parlour, teahouse, tearoom, teashop
a restaurant where tea and light meals are available

temple
place of worship consisting of an edifice for the worship of a deity

tenement, tenement house
a run-down apartment house barely meeting minimal standards

town hall
a government building that houses administrative offices of a town government

tract house
one of many houses of similar design constructed together on a tract of land

villa
detached or semidetached suburban house

walk-up
an apartment building without an elevator

ziggurat, zikkurat, zikurat
a rectangular tiered temple or terraced mound erected by the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians

shebeen
unlicensed drinking establishment

holiday resort, resort, resort hotel
a hotel located in a resort area

orangery
a place where oranges are grown; a plantation of orange trees in warm climes or a greenhouse in cooler areas

type of:
construction, structure
a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts

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/ˈɛdəfəs/

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/ˈɛdəfəs/

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