mausoleum — a large tomb, especially one built with architectural pretensions or in memory of a famous person
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a large tomb, especially one built with architectural pretensions or in memory of a famous person
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈmɔːsəˌliːəm/
Example Sentences
- The emperor's mausoleum was so luxurious that it had air conditioning and a mini-fridge for the afterlife.
- Lenin's mausoleum in Moscow attracts thousands of visitors every year.
- She joked that her messy garage looked like a mausoleum for broken dreams and unused exercise equipment.
mausoleum
NOUN[/ˈmɔːsəˌliːəm/]
a large tomb, especially one built with architectural pretensions or in memory of a famous person
a large tomb, especially one built with architectural pretensions or in memory of a famous person
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Mausolus, a satrap (provincial governor) of Halicarnassus in ancient Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), whose widow Artemisia II constructed an elaborate monumental tomb in his honour around 350 BCE. This magnificent structure became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the Greek word 'mausoleion' was subsequently used to describe any grand burial monument.
Breakdown
Mausolus (proper noun, the satrap's name) + -eum (Latin locative suffix denoting a place or building). The Greek form 'mausoleion' was Latinised to 'mausoleum' as the structure gained fame throughout the Hellenistic world.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The emperor's mausoleum was so luxurious that it had air conditioning and a mini-fridge for the afterlife.”
“Lenin's mausoleum in Moscow attracts thousands of visitors every year.”
“She joked that her messy garage looked like a mausoleum for broken dreams and unused exercise equipment.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
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