A mansion is a very large sprawling dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over 8,000 square feet (740 m2). A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and many bedrooms. Today, however, there is no formal definition beyond being a large and well-appointed house.
The word itself derives (through Old French) from the Latin word mansiō ("act of remaining or staying", a verbal noun from manere "to remain" or "to stay".) In the Roman Empire, a mansio was an official stopping place on a Roman road, or via, where cities sprang up, and where the villas of provincial officials came to be placed. The Scots word "manse" originally defined a property large enough for the Minister of the parish to maintain himself, but a mansion is no longer self-sustaining in this way (compare a Roman or medieval villa). 'Manor' comes from the same root — territorial holdings granted to a lord who would remain there — hence it can be seen how the word 'Mansion' came to have its meaning.
In British English a mansion block refers to a block of flats or apartments. In many parts of Asia, including Hong Kong and Japan, the word mansion also refers to a block of apartments.
Read more about Mansion: History, Nineteenth Century Development, Latin America, The "modern" Mansion
Famous quotes containing the word mansion:
“Look,
I draw the sword myself; take it, and hit
The innocent mansion of my love, my heart.
Fear not, ‘tis empty of all things but grief.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)