palace

1 of 2

noun

pal·​ace ˈpa-ləs How to pronounce palace (audio)
Synonyms of palacenext
1
a
: the official residence of a chief of state (such as a monarch or a president)
b
chiefly British : the official residence of an archbishop or bishop
2
a
: a large stately house
b
: a large public building
c
: a highly decorated place for public amusement or refreshment
a movie palace

palace

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of or relating to a palace
2
: of, relating to, or involving the intimates of a chief executive
a palace revolution
palace politics
3

Examples of palace in a Sentence

Noun The town's old movie palace has been torn down. the billionaire's “summer cottage” turned out to be an over-the-top palace Adjective a palace railroad car that was built for a 19th-century robber baron
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
The palace was the principal royal residence of France from 1682 until the start of the French Revolution in 1789. Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 18 June 2026 Further up, life was slowly starting to return downtown with the grounds of the national palace once more serving as the seat of the government after years of being off-limits due to the violence. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 17 June 2026
Adjective
Then there’s Meghan Markle’s post-palace wardrobe, a parade of tailored trousers, elevated linens, and copious amounts of cashmere. Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 9 Apr. 2026 Another senior cleric, Behbahani, not only threw his weight behind the Shah but, as evidence strongly suggests, accepted CIA money to stage pro-palace demonstrations. Bobby Ghosh, Time, 5 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for palace

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English palais, from Anglo-French, from Latin palatium, from Palatium, the Palatine Hill in Rome where the emperors' residences were built

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of palace was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Palace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/palace. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

palace

noun
pal·​ace
ˈpal-əs
1
: the official residence of a ruler
2
: a large splendid house
3
: a large public building (as for a legislature, court, or governor)
Etymology

Noun

Middle English palais "palace," from early French palais (same meaning), from Latin palatium (same meaning), from Palatium, name of one of the Seven Hills of Rome on which the Caesars had their residences

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