edifice

Everyday

1. (formal) An edifice is a large, grand or impressive building. tree →
2. (formal, figurative) An edifice is a big system or set of ideas built up over time, which could fall apart. tree →

In the lessons

A fancy word in older books, guidebooks and formal writing for a cathedral, palace or tower. In stories it makes a building sound huge and important. Phrases: a grand edifice, a stone edifice, the whole edifice.

Examples

• The cathedral is a magnificent stone edifice. tree →
• Tourists stared up at the huge edifice. tree →
• The old bank was an edifice of marble and glass. tree →
• In the story, the wizard's tower was a dark edifice on the hill. tree →
• One lie and the whole edifice of his excuses fell apart. tree →
• The town hall is the oldest edifice on the square. tree →
• Jurgen followed the sailor he was with into the church, and stood in the sacred edifice. tree →

Note

Formal; plain word is building. Say «ED-i-fis». «An edifice» (starts with a vowel sound). Do not mix up with «edify» (to teach someone to be better), though they share a Latin root meaning to build.