Mausoleum
/ˌmɔː.səˈliː.əm/noun
A large, elaborate tomb or building designed to house the remains of the dead.
Did you know?The word comes from the monumental tomb of Mausolus, a fourth-century BCE ruler of Caria, whose structure at Halicarnassus was so famous that his name became a generic term for grand tombs.
Etymological Timeline
4th Century BCE
Carian/Greek
Mausōlos
“The personal name of Mausolus, ruler of Caria in southwestern Asia Minor.”
c. 353–350 BCE
Ancient Greek
Mausōleion
“The tomb or monument associated with Mausolus.”
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Latin
mausoleum
“A monumental tomb, originally referring to the tomb of Mausolus.”
Middle Ages
Late Latin
mausoleum
“A large or notable burial monument.”
16th Century
English
mausoleum
“A grand tomb or burial building.”
Modern English
English
mausoleum
“A building or chamber where one or more bodies are buried.”
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