prŏpўlaeum

I. a gateway, entrance; esp. (in plur.) of the celebrated entrance to the temple of Pallas in the citadel of Athens, the Propylœum: Phalereus Demetrius Periclem vituperat, quod tantam pecuniam in praeclara illa propylaea conjecerit, Cic. Off. 2, 17, 60: propylaea nobilia. id. Rep. 3, 32, 44.—In sing.: cum Athenis propylaeon pingeret, Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 101 (al. propylon); 36, 5, 3, § 10.