mansion

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Archived revision by 5.81.100.150 (talk) as of 22:33, 30 October 2019.
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See also: mansión

English

A Victorian mansion in Eureka, CA.

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English mansioun, borrowed from Anglo-Norman mansion, mansiun, from Latin mansiō (dwelling, stopping-place), from the past participle stem of manēre (stay).

Pronunciation

Noun

mansion (plural mansions)

  1. A large house or building, usually built for the wealthy.
  2. (UK) A luxurious flat (apartment).
  3. (obsolete) A house provided for a clergyman; a manse.
  4. (obsolete) A stopping-place during a journey; a stage.
    • 1658, Thomas Browne, “The Garden of Cyrus. []. Chapter V.”, in Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall, [] Together with The Garden of Cyrus, [], London: [] Hen[ry] Brome [], →OCLC, page 192:
      According to that Cabaliſticall Dogma: If Abram had not had this Letter [i.e., ה (he)] added unto his Name he had remained fruitleſſe, and without the power of generation: [] So that being ſterill before, he received the power of generation from that meaſure and manſion in the Archetype; and was made conformable unto Binah.
  5. (historical) An astrological house; a station of the moon.
    • Late 14th century: Which book spak muchel of the operaciouns / Touchynge the eighte and twenty mansiouns / That longen to the moone — Geoffrey Chaucer, ‘The Franklin's Tale’, Canterbury Tales
  6. (Chinese astronomy) One of twenty-eight sections of the sky.
  7. (chiefly in the plural) An individual habitation or apartment within a large house or group of buildings. (Now chiefly in allusion to John 14:2.)
    • 1611, Bible, Authorized (King James) Version, John XIV.2:
      In my Father's house are many mansions [translating Lua error in Module:parameters at line 95: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "μονή" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E.]: if it were not so, I would have told you.
    • Denham
      These poets near our princes sleep, / And in one grave their mansions keep.
    • 2003, The Economist, (subtitle), 18 Dec 2003:
      The many mansions in one east London house of God.
  8. Any of the branches of the Rastafari movement.

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Japanese: マンション (manshon) (borrowed)

Translations

Anagrams


Middle English

Noun

mansion

  1. Alternative form of mansioun