[mau.so.le.um] n, pl -leums or -lea [ME, fr. L, fr. Gk mausoleion, fr. Mausolos Mausolus d. ab 353 b.c., ruler of Caria] (15c) 1: a large tomb; esp: a usu. stone building with places for entombment of the dead above ground
2: a large gloomy building or room