Parvis

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Parvis \Par"vis\, Parvise \Par"vise\, n. [F. parvis, fr. LL.
     paravisus, fr. L. paradisus. See {Paradise}.]
     A court of entrance to, or an inclosed space before, a
     church; hence, a church porch; -- sometimes formerly used as
     place of meeting, as for lawyers. --Chaucer.
     [1913 Webster] Parvitude



From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  parvis
       n : a courtyard or portico in front of a building (especially a
           cathedral)