parvis

noun

par·​vis ˈpär-vəs How to pronounce parvis (audio)
variants or less commonly parvise
1
: a court or enclosed space before a building (such as a church)
2
: a single portico or colonnade before a church

Examples of parvis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The western façade, giving onto the parvis, the open area before the cathedral, was not completed until around 1240, and the upper gallery of the nave and the two towers on the west façade were finished between 1225 and 1250. Klara Glowczewska, Town & Country, 19 Apr. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'parvis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English parvis, from Anglo-French, modification of Late Latin paradisus enclosed park — more at paradise

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of parvis was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near parvis

Cite this Entry

“Parvis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parvis. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on parvis

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!