mausoleum

views updated May 14 2018

mausoleum (pl. mausolea). Any roofed building used as a tomb, detached or joined to another building (e.g. a church), containing coffins, sarcophagi, or urns, often on shelves. The term originated with the C4 BC Hellenistic Ionic tomb of King Mausolos of Caria at Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Bibliography

Colvin (1991);
J. Curl (2002);
Hillenbrand (1994);
Toynbee (1971)

A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture JAMES STEVENS CURL

mausoleum

views updated May 23 2018

mausoleum Impressive tomb. The widow of Mausolus (from whom the term derives), ruler of Caria, raised a great tomb to his memory at Halicarnassus (c.350 bc). It became one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The best-known mausoleum is the Taj Mahal in Agra, n India.

World Encyclopedia

mausoleum

views updated May 23 2018

mau·so·le·um / ˌmôzəˈlēəm; ˌmôsə-/ • n. (pl. -le·a / -ˈlēə/ or -le·ums) a building, esp. a large and stately one, housing a tomb or tombs.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

mausoleum

views updated Jun 08 2018

mausoleum a building, especially a large and stately one, housing a tomb or tombs. The word comes via Latin from Greek Mausōlos, the name of a king of Caria (4th century bc), to whose tomb in Halicarnassus, erected by his queen Artemisia and considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the name was originally applied.

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable ELIZABETH KNOWLES

Mausoleum

views updated May 14 2018

Mausoleum ★★ 1983 (R)

Only one man can save a woman from eternal damnation. 96m/C VHS, DVD . Marjoe Gortner, Bobbie Bresee, Norman Burton, La Wanda Page, Shari Mann, Julie Christy Murray, Laura Hippe, Maurice Sherbanee; D: Michael Dugan; W: Robert Madero, Robert Barich; C: Robert Barich.

VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever

mausoleum

views updated May 23 2018

mausoleum XVI. — L. mausōlēum — Gr. mausōleion the magnificent tomb of Mausōlus, king of Caria, erected 353 B.C. at Halicarnassus by his queen Artemisia and accounted one of the seven wonders of the world.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD