edifice
gb/ˈɛdəfɪs/ us/ˈɛdəfɪs/
C1
English
~ 7300
impozáns épület, monumentális épület, rendszer, építmény
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
1
Usage pattern:
an edifice stands in [a place]
The museum is housed in a nineteenth-century stone edifice overlooking the river.
A múzeum egy, a folyóra néző, 19. századi kőépületben kapott helyet.
A towering glass edifice now dominates what used to be a quiet neighborhood.
Ma egy toronymagas üvegépület uralja azt a környéket, amely régen csendes volt.
From the hilltop, the cathedral’s great edifice rose above all other buildings in the city.
The government offices are located in an imposing concrete edifice near the central square.
Developers plan to replace the old warehouse with a sleek new edifice of steel and glass.
Learner examples
The city built a new edifice for the town hall.
A város új épületet emelt a városháza számára.
We could see the tall edifice from many kilometers away.
A magas épületet sok kilométerről is látni lehetett.
The old stone edifice stands in the middle of the city.
Tourists walked around the great edifice and took photos.
Our hotel was a modern edifice next to the station.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "edifice" to mean any building, including small or ordinary houses. In modern English, "edifice" usually suggests something large, formal, or impressive, so it would sound odd to call a small family home an edifice.
Meaning
large, impressive building
Collocations
imposing edifice
|towering edifice
|stone edifice
|glass edifice
|ancient edifice
|modern edifice
Synonyms
building (More general; can be any structure, not just large or impressive ones.)
|
structure (Very general and a bit more technical; not limited to buildings.)
Antonyms
hut (Suggests a very small, simple, and unimpressive building, the opposite of a grand edifice.)
Themes
architecture
|city_life
|housing
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A big, tall, and impressive building, often important or official.
A large, impressive, and often grand building, especially one that is stately or important in appearance or function.
NOUN
C2
FORMAL
2
Usage pattern:
the edifice of [abstract noun]
The entire edifice of international law depends on countries respecting their agreements.
A nemzetközi jog egész rendszere azon alapul, hogy az országok betartják a megállapodásaikat.
Years of scandal have shaken the political edifice that once seemed unbreakable.
Évek botrányai megrendítették azt a politikai rendszert, amely egykor megingathatatlannak tűnt.
Her book challenges the intellectual edifice on which modern economics is built.
Without public trust, the whole edifice of democracy begins to crumble.
New evidence forced scientists to rebuild the theoretical edifice of the field from the ground up.
Learner examples
The edifice of modern science is built on careful testing.
A modern tudomány egész rendszere a gondos ellenőrzésre épül.
Corruption can damage the whole edifice of a country’s legal system.
A korrupció alááshatja egy ország teljes jogrendszerét.
Many people are now questioning the edifice of traditional beliefs.
If this idea is wrong, the whole edifice of his theory may fall.
Education is an important part of the edifice of a strong society.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use this meaning of "edifice" for simple or small systems, where words like "plan" or "idea" would be better. In this sense, "edifice" suggests something large, complex, and built up over time, often in formal or written contexts.
Meaning
complex system of ideas or institutions
Collocations
the edifice of law
|the edifice of democracy
|the intellectual edifice
|the ideological edifice
|the political edifice
|the whole edifice
Synonyms
framework (Emphasizes supporting structure and basic organization rather than size or grandeur.)
|
system (Broad and neutral; lacks the metaphor of something grand and carefully built up.)
|
structure (Focuses on how parts fit together; can be less formal or grand than "edifice.")
Antonyms
chaos (Suggests a complete lack of order or organizing system, the opposite of a carefully built edifice of ideas or institutions.)
Themes
society
|politics
|philosophy
|law
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A large and complex system of ideas, rules, or organizations that all work together.
A complex and carefully organized system of beliefs, laws, institutions, or theories that has been built up over time.
Grammar
Dictionary form
edifice
IPA
GB/ˈɛdəfɪs/
US/ˈɛdəfɪs/
Syllables & stress
edi - fice (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (edi)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: edifice
- Plural: edifices
Word family
Forms
edifices
noun
Advanced or less common
Negative and opposite forms
unedifying
adjective
Expressions
the edifice of [something]
1/ðə ˈɛdəfɪs əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
the system that supports something
The complete and organized system of ideas, rules, or institutions that supports or makes something possible.
Examples
- The edifice of democracy rests on free and fair elections.
- We need to strengthen the edifice of international law.
- New research is reshaping the edifice of modern medicine.
the whole edifice of [something]
1/ðə hˈoʊl ˈɛdəfɪs əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
the entire supporting system
The complete system of ideas, rules, or institutions that supports something, thought of as one big structure.
Examples
- If this report is true, the whole edifice of his argument collapses.
- One serious mistake can cause the whole edifice of trust to fall apart.
- Without public support, the whole edifice of the reform program will crumble.