Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A large stately tomb or a building housing such a tomb or several tombs.
  • noun A gloomy, usually large room or building.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun [capitalized] In Gr. archæol., a very large and magnificent edifice adorned with sculpture, built by Queen Artemisia of Caria as the tomb of her husband, King Mausolus, at Halicarnassus, about 350 b. c., ranking as one of the seven wonders of the world.
  • noun Any splendid tomb; a grand or stately sepulchral monument or edifice, now usually designed to contain a number of tombs: as, the mausoleum of a royal family.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A magnificent tomb, or stately sepulchral monument.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A large stately tomb or a building housing such a tomb or several tombs.
  • noun A gloomy, usually large room or building.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a large burial chamber, usually above ground

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Latin Mausōlēum, from Greek Mausōleion, from Mausōlos, Mausolus (died c. 353 BC), Persian satrap of Caria whose tomb was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English mausoleum, from Latin mausōlēum, from Ancient Greek Μαυσωλεῖον (mausōleĩon) from Ancient Greek Μαύσωλος (mausōlos); named for Mausolus (Μαύσωλος or Μαύσσωλλος), satrap of the Persian empire and ruler of Caria

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Examples

  • And having a gaudy mausoleum is not an impeachable offense.

    Matthew Yglesias » Darrel Thompson Sure Can Quit Burris 2009

  • The mausoleum is plain brick on the outside: nothing prepares you for the mosaics on every surface inside, illuminated by windows of translucent marble.

    The Road from Ravenna 2006

  • The mausoleum is plain brick on the outside: nothing prepares you for the mosaics on every surface inside, illuminated by windows of translucent marble.

    The Road from Ravenna 2006

  • The mausoleum is plain brick on the outside: nothing prepares you for the mosaics on every surface inside, illuminated by windows of translucent marble.

    The Road from Ravenna 2006

  • The others were Diana's Temple at Ephesus, the Tomb of Mau-so´lus (which was so fine that any handsome tomb is sometimes called a mausoleum), the

    The Story of the Greeks 1894

  • Ancient historians acquaint us with only seven wonders in the world: the Temple of Diana, at Ephesus; the magnificent sepulchre of the king Mausolus, from whence is derived the word mausoleum; the bronze Colossus of the Sun, in Rhodes; the statue of

    Anecdotes of Painters, Engravers, Sculptors and Architects and Curiosities of Art (Vol. 3 of 3) Shearjashub Spooner 1834

  • The mausoleum was a magnificent structure, perfectly round in shape with a row of fluted pillars supporting the overhanging roof.

    "The Moon Woman" by Minna Irving, part 1 Johnny Pez 2010

  • The mausoleum was a magnificent structure, perfectly round in shape with a row of fluted pillars supporting the overhanging roof.

    Archive 2010-04-01 Johnny Pez 2010

  • Oh, did I mention the mausoleum is a virtual granite resume, since Mr. Burris has etched in great detail his every job title, accomplishment, award, and entire life as a permanent monument to ... himself?

    Blago Has Been Impeached 2009

  • Rather than being seen as a temple to art, the building was described as a mausoleum with cabbage on top.

    Archive 2009-03-01 Hels 2009

Comments

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  • from King Mausolos of Caria, who built himself a fancy tomb in Halicarnassus that (I think) made the list of Seven Top Wonders.

    December 16, 2007

  • Vinyl scoured of footmarks,

    office a mausoleum,

    typewriters muffled in hoods...

    - Peter Reading, Absentees, from The Prison Cell and Barrel Mystery, 1976

    June 23, 2008

  • There is no mouse in mausoleum. Don't say MOUSE-uh-lee-um.

    April 10, 2010

  • I see we are expected to tell at sight a Mauser rifle from a javelin.

    April 10, 2010

  • chelster: what if it's the tomb of a mouse?

    April 10, 2010

  • It is a beautiful somber-sounding word. Found it playing Clock Tower 3 on the good ol PS2!

    October 18, 2011