palace
- 01 A2 Elementary
the official home of a king, queen, or president.
the official residence of a monarch, head of state, or high-ranking religious dignitary.
Simple“Thousands of tourists gather outside the palace every day to watch the changing of the guard.”
In context“The royal family retreated to their summer palace in the mountains to escape the humid heat of the capital city.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
a very large and expensive house that looks like it belongs to a king.
a large, lavishly decorated, or ornate residence, often used metaphorically for any impressive home.
Simple“After winning the lottery, he bought a modern palace with ten bedrooms and a huge pool.”
In context“The tech mogul's new hilltop estate is a glass-and-steel palace that overlooks the entire valley.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
a large, beautiful building used for public events, shows, or art.
a large and ornate public building designed for exhibitions, entertainment, or cultural gatherings.
Simple“The city built a new ice palace for the winter sports competition.”
In context“The grand exhibition was held in the crystal palace, a structure famous for its innovative use of glass and iron architecture.”
- 04 B1 Intermediate
a common name for a professional football team from London.
a common ellipsis referring to Crystal Palace Football Club, a professional team based in South London.
Simple“He has been a Palace fan since he was a young boy.”
In context“Palace managed to secure a late draw against their rivals, much to the delight of the home crowd.”
UsageUsually capitalized when referring to the specific team.
Synonymsthe eagles
From Middle English paleys, from Old French palais, which comes from Latin palātium, from Palātium, in reference to the Palatine (Palatine Hill), one of the seven hills of Rome, where the aristocracy of the Roman Republic—and later, Roman emperors—built large, splendid residences. The name is ultimately either from Etruscan, the same source as Pales (“Pales, the Italic goddess of shepherds, flocks and livestock”), or Latin palus (“stake; enclosure”). Doublet of palazzo and Pfalz.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.