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edifice

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ed⋅i⋅fice

  [ed-uh-fis]
–noun
1. a building, esp. one of large size or imposing appearance.
2. any large, complex system or organization.
Use edifice in a Sentence
Origin:
1350–1400; ME < AF, MF < L aedificium, equiv. to aedific(āre) to build (see edify ) + -ium -ium

Related forms:
ed⋅i⋅fi⋅cial  [ed-uh-fish-uhl] , adjective

Synonyms:
1. See building.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
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ed·i·fice   (ěd'ə-fĭs)   
n.  

  1. A building, especially one of imposing appearance or size.

  2. An elaborate conceptual structure: observations that provided the foundation for the edifice of evolutionary theory.


[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin aedificium, from aedificāre, to build : aedis, a building + -ficāre, -fy.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

edifice 
c.1386, from O.Fr. edifice "building," from L. ædificium "building," from ædificare "to build," from ædis, variant of ædes "temple," in the pl. meaning "dwelling, building," originally "hearth" + the root of facere "to make" (see factitious). ædis is from I.E. base *aidh- "to burn" (cf. Gk. aithein "to burn," Skt. inddhe "burst into flames," O.Ir. aed "fire").
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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