n.
- The official residence of a royal personage.
- Chiefly British. The official residence of a high dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop.
- A large or splendid residence.
- A large, often gaudily ornate building used for entertainment or exhibitions.
[Middle English, from Old French palais, from Palātium, Palatine Hill, Rome (from its being the site where emperors built their homes), imperial residence.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
