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

As with a cathedral, a basilica may be a relatively humble edifice, though many are spectacular buildings. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 May 2026

But although the edifice built at great expense—by Fannie Lou Hamer, by John Lewis, by the bloodied limbs of Mississippi sharecroppers and Alabama marchers—has not been entirely bulldozed, only the facade remains. —Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026

The 94-year-old edifice, looming majestically over Boyle Heights, stopped taking patients nearly two decades ago. —Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026

These are observations that amount to light chipping away at a marble edifice that was built with other things in mind. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 21 Apr. 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)