belvedere

noun bel·ve·dere \ ˈbel-və-ˌdir \

Updated on: 6 May 2018

Definition of belvedere

: a structure (such as a cupola or a summerhouse) designed to command a view

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Examples of belvedere in a Sentence

a Greek revival belvedere stands majestically on a grassy knoll overlooking the river

Recent Examples of belvedere from the Web

The famed Terrace of Infinity belvedere is set, like an infinity pool, above a magnificent vista of hills and bays vanishing into the mist in the distance, and the sky melts into the low horizon line and the equally blue seas.

— hamish bowles, Vogue, "Beyond Sea Views, What to Explore While Visiting the Amalfi Coast," 27 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'belvedere.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The Beautiful Origin of belvedere

It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder—and someone with a belvedere will likely have a great deal of beauty to behold. Given the origins of the word, belvedere is the ideal term for a building (or part of a building) with a view; it derives from two Italian words, bel, which means "beautiful," and vedere, which means "view." The term has been used in English since the 1570s.