mausoleum

the word 'mausoleum' originates directly from the latin 'mausoleum', which itself is borrowed from the greek 'mausoleion'. this greek term was the name of the monumental tomb built at halicarnassus for mausolus, a satrap of the persian empire, around 350 bc. the structure was so grand that it was counted among the seven wonders of the ancient world, causing its name to become generic for any large and stately tomb. thus, the word's journey is a clear example of a proper noun—the name of a specific person and his memorial—evolving into a common noun describing a class of architectural structures.

Structure: mausol (name) + eum (suffix for place/monument) mausol (from latin 'mausolus', the name of a 4th-century bc ruler of caria); eum (latin suffix '-eum', from greek '-eion', denoting a place or building associated with a specific person or purpose).