aedicule

[ ee-di-kyool, ed-i- ]

noun

1. a small building.
2. a small construction, as a shrine, designed in the form of a building.

aedicule

/ ˈɛdɪˌkjuːl /

noun

1. an opening such as a door or a window, framed by columns on either side, and a pediment above

Word History and Origins

Origin of aedicule¹

First recorded in 1825–35; from Latin aedicula, equivalent to aedi- (stem of aedēs ) “temple, shrine” (akin to Greek aíthein “to blaze,” aithḗr “bright upper sky, ether”) + -cula diminutive suffix; ether, -cule ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of aedicule¹

C19: from Latin aediculum small house, from aedēs building

Example Sentences

A Greek team headed the 2016 restoration project to preserve the aedicule, a large structure inside the church housing the tomb.

From Seattle Times

A Greek team headed the 2016 restoration project to preserve the aedicule, a large structure inside the church housing the tomb.

From Washington Times

The marble shrine, known as the Aedicule, was built in its existing form in 1810 during the Ottoman era and has been crumbling lately.

From New York Times

Under the direction of Antonia Moropoulou from National Technical University, the conservation experts removed the iron cage built by the British in 1947 to shore up the earthquake-damaged Aedicule and then began taking apart the shrine piece by piece.

From New York Times

But in recent weeks, scaffolding has gone up a few feet from the shrine in the gloomy shadows of the Arches of the Virgin, the first step in a rare agreement by the various Christian communities to save the dilapidated shrine, also called the Aedicule, from falling down.

From New York Times