villa

[vil-uh] /ˈvɪl ə/

noun

a country residence or estate.

any imposing or pretentious residence, especially one in the country or suburbs maintained as a retreat by a wealthy person.

British. a detached or semidetached dwelling house, usually suburban.

Origin

1605-15; (< Italian) < Latin vīlla a country house, farm, akin to vīcus village, wick³

Related forms

villalike, adjective

Villa

[vee-uh; Spanish bee-yah] /ˈvi ə; Spanish ˈbi yɑ/

noun

Francisco

[frahn-sees-kaw] /frɑnˈsis kɔ/ (Show IPA), (Doroteo Arango"Pancho Villa") 1877–1923, Mexican general and revolutionist.

Examples from the web for villa

Alternatively, they might purchase a singlefamily villa with a small yard at the back.
Remarkably, under his supervision the villa remained unharmed.
The remains of a roman villa have been excavated in the grounds of the current vicarage.
In fact, the site of his eventual martyrdom was his own villa.

British Dictionary definitions for villa

villa

/ˈvɪlə/

noun

(in ancient Rome) a country house, usually consisting of farm buildings and residential quarters around a courtyard

a large and usually luxurious country residence

(Brit) a detached or semidetached suburban house

(NZ) a medium-sized suburban house standing in its own grounds

Derived Forms

villa-like, adjective

Word Origin

C17: via Italian from Latin; related to Latin vīcus a village

Villa

/ˈviːə; Spanish ˈbiʎa/

noun

Francisco (franˈsisko), called Pancho Villa, original name Doroteo Arango. ?1877–1923, Mexican revolutionary leader

Word Origin and History for villa

1610s, from Italian villa "country house, villa, farm," from Latin villa "country house, farm," related to vicus "village, group of houses," from PIE *weik- "clan" (cf. Sanskrit vesah "house," vit "dwelling, house, settlement;" Avestan vis "house, village, clan;" Old Persian vitham "house, royal house;" Greek oikos "house;" Old Church Slavonic visi "village;" Gothic weihs "village;" Lithuanian viešpats "master of the house").