necessarium

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UK/ˌnɛsɪˈsɛəɹɪəm/UK/ˌnɛsɪˈsɑːɹɪəm/US/ˌnɛsɪˈsɛɹi.əm/

noun

Synonym of reredorter: a monastery's latrine, outhouse, or lavatory, typically located behind the dormitory.

Similar
reredorterbathroom
OriginLatin necessarium →
Scrabble 15
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Meanings

necessarium1

nounnecessarium (plural necessariums or necessaria)

plural necessariums · plural necessaria · alternative Necessarium

  1. architectureSynonym of reredorter: a monastery's latrine, outhouse, or lavatory, typically located behind the dormitory.

    The other outlet from the pisalis […] leads to the necessarium, in the corner of which a light […] is kept burning.

    1848, The Archaeological Journal, volume V, page 101
    1 more example

    A passage at the other end [of the dormitory] leads to the “necessarium” (I), a portion of the monastic buildings always planned with extreme care.

    1878, "Abbey" in Encyclopædia Britannica, 9th ed., Vol. I, p. 13

    Synonyms: reredorter

  2. capitalizedhumoroussometimesA lavatory.

    Viewers […] don't mind having a hundred variations, from ‘The Necessarium’ to ‘The Thunder-Box’ to choose from.

    1967 December 21, The Listener, page 802

Necessarium2

nounNecessarium (plural Necessariums or Necessaria)

plural Necessariums · plural Necessaria

  1. alternativeAlternative form of necessarium.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounSynonym of reredorter: a monastery's latrine, outhouse, or lavatory, typically located behind the dormitory.

Similar
reredorter
Similar
bathroom
Also see
bathroomboggercomfort stationconveniencecottageearth closetgentlemen'sjakesladies'latlavabonecessarypowder roomprivypublic conveniencereredortershithousesmall roomtearoomthunderboxtooturinalwater closet

Origin

  1. Latinnecessarium“reredorter; outhouse”
  2. Englishnecessarium

From Latin necessarium (“reredorter; outhouse”), from necesse (“unavoidable or necessary [thing]”) + -ārium (“-arium, -ium: forming locations”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with necessarium

herbariumfusariumimaginariumvivariumsamariumcolumbariumseaquariumoceanariumarmamentariumacarinariumallylsamariumantiquariumaquaterrariumargentarium-ariumascidiariumaviculariumbalsamariumbullariumbunariumcaldariumcalendariumcalidariumcalvarium
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

necessarium. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/necessarium

MLA

“necessarium.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/necessarium. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “necessarium,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/necessarium.

Source: necessarium on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.