palatial
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
- palatially adverb
- palatialness noun
- unpalatial adjective
Etymology
Origin of palatial
Explanation
Knowing that the adjective palatial is derived from the same Latin word as palace gives you a good sense of its meaning: magnificent, reminiscent of a home fit for a king. The Palatine (Collis Palatium in Latin) is the center of Rome’s famed Seven Hills. Tradition holds that it was the location on which Romulus founded the city, and it became a prestigious site for powerful Romans—including emperors—to build large, lavish homes. Palatium made its way into every Romance language and beyond: it became palazzo in Italian, palacio in Spanish, and palast in German. Palace entered English via the Old French palais. Power, affluence, extravagance: these are the qualities that should come to mind when you encounter the word palatial.
Vocabulary lists containing palatial
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell
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The Glass Castle
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
After giving marching orders to Senate Republicans, Trump wrapped his day with a visit to Graceland, the palatial former home of Elvis Presley.
From Salon • Mar. 23, 2026
Mariano spends his days in grand, palatial spaces that are curiously still and inert, like hushed museum galleries.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025
Corcoran, 76, originally put the palatial penthouse on the market in May, with reports later revealing that she had secured a buyer for the property within just one day of listing it.
From MarketWatch • Oct. 13, 2025
In Lengel’s view, the addition’s palatial size and ornament is a poor fit for the executive mansion’s relative modesty.
From Slate • Aug. 5, 2025
I entered the palatial building through the front door and walked confidently down the corridor decorated from wall to wall by trophies and plaques honoring winners of Wanderers tournaments since the club was founded.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
