Mausolean
/ˌmɔː.səˈliː.ən/noun
Relating to Mausolus or to the monumental tomb built for him at Halicarnassus.
Did you know?The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and its name eventually became the ordinary English word “mausoleum.”
Etymological Timeline
4th Century BCE
Ancient Greek
Μαύσωλος (Mausōlos)
“The personal name of Mausolus, ruler of Caria.”
4th Century BCE
Ancient Greek
Μαυσωλεῖον (Mausōleion)
“The monumental tomb of Mausolus at Halicarnassus; literally, a structure associated with Mausolus.”
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Latin
mausoleum
“A grand tomb, borrowed from the Greek name for Mausolus’s monument.”
14th Century
English
mausoleum
“A large or impressive tomb; the English noun entered through Medieval Latin and French.”
17th Century
English
mausolean
“Relating to Mausolus or resembling the grandeur of his monumental tomb.”
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