Word
palatial
Phoneticspala·tial
US/pəˈɫeɪʃəɫ/
UK/pælˈeɪʃəl/
Definition
adj. very large and fancy, like a palace. You use it for houses, hotels, or rooms that look rich and grand.
adj. resembling a palace in size, grandeur, or luxury; extremely large and richly decorated.
Examples
“They live in a palatial house with a big garden.”
“The couple booked a palatial suite with high ceilings and marble floors for their anniversary.”
“Behind iron gates stood a palatial villa whose sweeping staircases and sunlit courtyards recalled an era when wealth was built to impress.”
Examples
simple
“They live in a palatial house with a big garden.”
contextual
“The couple booked a palatial suite with high ceilings and marble floors for their anniversary.”
complex
“Behind iron gates stood a palatial villa whose sweeping staircases and sunlit courtyards recalled an era when wealth was built to impress.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “palatial” in context.
Verb
01. describe as palatial
“Estate agents describe the villa as palatial because of its size and luxury.”
verb + prep + adj
02. look palatial
“With its columns and grand staircase, the museum looks palatial from outside.”
verb + adj
03. palatial in design
“The hotel is palatial in design, featuring gold details and grand arches.”
adj + prep + noun
04. palatial in scale
“The new airport terminal is palatial in scale, with vast open halls.”
adj + prep + noun
Adjective
05. absolutely palatial
“The cruise ship's lobby is absolutely palatial and filled with chandeliers.”
adv + adj
Noun
06. palatial hotel
“We stayed in a palatial hotel in Dubai with marble lobbies.”
adj + noun
07. palatial lobby
“Guests enter through a palatial lobby decorated with crystal lights.”
adj + noun
08. palatial mansion
“They bought a palatial mansion with a swimming pool and tennis court.”
adj + noun
09. palatial residence
“The ambassador lives in a palatial residence overlooking the park.”
adj + noun
10. book palatial suite
“They booked a palatial suite for their honeymoon in Venice.”
11. own palatial villa
“The businessman owns a palatial villa with staff quarters and gardens.”
12. palatial in scale and design
“The new opera house is palatial in scale and design.”
Usage
Typically placed before the noun it modifies.
Real-World Examples
“The couple's palatial Beverley Hills home, set on 18 acres and featuring everything from a zoo to an old-west style saloon, boasted visitors like F Scott Fitzgerald and Charlie Chaplin in the 1920s.” “To tell the story and indicate a palatial setting, it sufficed to show a grand entrance and great hall.” “One palatial residence in Herculaneum—believed to have once belonged to a man named Piso—contained hundreds of priceless written scrolls made from papyrus, singed into carbon by volcanic gas.” “A few days later, Spanish authorities raided Alamín Castle, a palatial estate that Betancourt owned in the province of Toledo.” Etymology
Borrowed from French palatial, formed from the root of Latin palātium (“a palace”), from Palātium (“Palatine Hill”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/palatial