n.; pl. Basilicas sometimes Basilicæ [ L. basilica, Gr. basilikh` (sc. o'iki`a or stoa` fr. basiliko`s royal, fr. basiley`s king. ] 1. Originally, the palace of a king; but afterward, an apartment provided in the houses of persons of importance, where assemblies were held for dispensing justice; and hence, any large hall used for this purpose. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Arch.) (a) A building used by the Romans as a place of public meeting, with court rooms, etc., attached. (b) A church building of the earlier centuries of Christianity, the plan of which was taken from the basilica of the Romans. The name is still applied to some churches by way of honorary distinction. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A digest of the laws of Justinian, translated from the original Latin into Greek, by order of Basil I., in the ninth century. P. Cyc. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ See Basilica. ] 1. Royal; kingly; also, basilican. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Anat.) Pertaining to certain parts, anciently supposed to have a specially important function in the animal economy, as the middle vein of the right arm. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of, relating to, or resembling, a basilica; basilical. [ 1913 Webster ]

There can be no doubt that the first churches in Constantinople were in the basilican form. Milman. [ 1913 Webster ]