Palace is a noun meaning a grand, ornate residence or palace-like building, historically a royal or gubernatorial seat. It often denotes a stately, official residence rather than a private home. In modern use, it can describe any impressive, formal building, or metaphorically refer to a luxurious, dominant position within an organization.
"The king greeted dignitaries at the royal palace."
"The crystal chandeliers gave the palace a magical glow."
"From the balcony, she imagined life in a grand palace."
"The tech startup claimed its campus would become a palace of innovation."
Palace comes from Old French palais, itself from Latin palatium, meaning the Palatine Hill residence of the Roman emperors. The term entered English in the Middle Ages via the Norman influence on governance and court life. The root palat- derives from palatum, Latin for ‘roof, palace’?—though the semantic path is through the Roman palatial estates and later French usage for royal residences. By the 14th century, palace referred to grand, formal buildings associated with rulers, then extended metaphorically to prominent seats of power or executive spaces. The word’s evolution mirrors political and architectural history: from literal royal residence to symbolic center of authority and ceremonial grandeur. In contemporary English, palace still conjures opulence and authority, while also serving as a generic label for impressive buildings or as a trope in literature and film to denote power and prestige.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Palace" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Palace"
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Pronounce as PAL-iss with a short, unstressed second syllable. IPA US/UK both /ˈpæləs/. The middle vowel is a short /ə/ (schwa) in many rapid speech patterns; enunciate the first syllable with /æ/ as in 'cat', then lightly pronounce /l/ and end with /əs/. Audio reference: similar to the word ‘palace’ in standard American/British speech; listen for the clear initial /p/ and the unstressed final /əs/.
Two common errors are misplacing stress (say-‘PAl-ace’ with strong second syllable) and over-articulating the second syllable as /eɪs/ or /eɪz/. Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable /ˈpæləs/ and reduce the second to a quick /ə/ or /əs/. Another mistake is pronouncing the second syllable with a full /s/ as in ‘valis’; ensure the second syllable ends with a light /əs/ sound. Practice with minimal pairs to normalize /æ/ and /ə/ timing.
In US/UK, the pronunciation remains /ˈpæləs/ with rhoticity not affecting /r/ here since there isn’t /r/; the main difference is vowel quality and intonation. Australian English often features a slightly more centralized /ə/ in the second syllable and a broader mouth opening on the first vowel; the overall rhythm remains iambic-ish but with a flatter intonation. In all, the core is PAL- (strong) and -ace becomes a light, unstressed /əs/ in fast speech.
The challenge lies in placing strong primary stress on the first syllable while delivering a quick, nearly reduced second syllable. The /æ/ vowel in the first syllable must be distinct from the more neutral /ə/ of the second, and the final /s/ should not be overly elongated. For non-native speakers, the subtle vowel contrast and the gentle /əs/ ending can be tricky, especially in connected speech where the second syllable blends into the following word.
Think of it as two quick beats: 'PAL' (like pale with a short a) followed by a subtle 'əs' (schwa + s). Keep your tongue low for /æ/, then relax the jaw for /ə/. This two-beat rhythm helps avoid over-enunciating the second syllable. Visualize a short, soft ending and let the final /s/ sit lightly on the tongue blade behind the upper teeth.
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