propylaeum

[ prop-uh-lee-uhm ]

noun

, plural prop·y·lae·a [prop-, uh, -, lee, -, uh].

1. Often propylaea. a vestibule or entrance to a temple area or other enclosure, especially when elaborate or of architectural importance.

propylaeum

/ ˌprɒpɪˈliːəm; ˈprɒpɪˌlɒn /

noun

1. a portico, esp one that forms the entrance to a temple

Word History and Origins

Origin of propylaeum¹

1700–10; < Latin < Greek propýlaion gateway, noun use of neuter of propýlaios before the gate, equivalent to pro- pro- ² + pýl ( ē ) gate + -aios adj. suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of propylaeum¹

C18: via Latin from Greek propulaion before the gate, from pro- ² + pulē gate

Example Sentences

Propylaeum, the vestibule to a Roman temple: Your body is a temple I worship toes to hair What I’d give for a chance to see ’em!

From Washington Post

I raise my ardent torch to your vaunted beauty rare But can’t get it through your propylaeum.

From Washington Post

Ducange explains it as “aedis sacrae propylaeum in porticus formam exstructum,” and says it was also used improperly for the sanctuary.

From Project Gutenberg

Then Terry spelled propylaeum as "pro-pileum."

From Time Magazine Archive

In 1887 appeared vol. i. for November; in 1894, vol. ii., preceded by the Martyrologium Hieronymianum by J.B. de Rossi and the abb� Louis Duchesne; in 1902, the Propylaeum ad Acta Sanctorum Novembris, comprising the Synaxarium ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae.

From Project Gutenberg