edifice

noun

ed·​i·​fice ˈe-də-fəs 

1

: building

especially : a large or massive structure

2

: a large abstract structure

holds together the social edifice

—R. H. Tawney

Synonyms

• cathedral
• hall
• palace
• tower

Examples of edifice in a Sentence

a magnificent edifice with a domed ceiling

the U.S. Capitol is one of our nation's most impressive edifices

Recent Examples on the Web

From Mary Queen of Scots to Oliver Cromwell and Sir Walter Raleigh, many famous Britons are indelibly linked the ancient edifice. —Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 10 June 2025

The edifice of apartheid’s legal order crumbled in 1994. —Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025

The volcanic edifice, composed of a complex succession of lava flows and ash deposits, started to take shape around 100,000 years ago. —David Bressan, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025

Those costs are still as much as 20 percent less than building something new because the edifice is retained, Mr. Pestronk said. —Ellen Rosen, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin aedificium, from aedificare

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

edifice

noun

ed·​i·​fice ˈed-ə-fəs 

: building sense 1

especially : a large or impressive building (as a church)