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 of edifice

• tower
• cathedral
• structure

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

Despite this modest tourism boom, the town retains plentiful architectural evidence of its history as a turn-of-the-century manufacturing hub, with an abundance of red-brick and steel edifices lining its streets. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Sep. 2026

Klepach’s criticism was a modest gesture of public dissent against an edifice of power that remains more than formidable. — Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2026

Peter Zumthor’s design hoists a serpentine platform atop pavilions that read like stout, truncated legs, making the edifice almost creaturely in its architectural stance. — George Baker, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026

To achieve freedom, then, is to escape character, and with it the whole edifice of novelistic contrivance. — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026

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)