compluvium

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noun

A space left unroofed over the court of a dwelling in Ancient Rome, through which the rain fell into the impluvium or cistern.

OriginLatin compluvium →
Scrabble 21
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Meanings

nouncompluvium (plural compluvia)

plural compluvia

  1. architectureA space left unroofed over the court of a dwelling in Ancient Rome, through which the rain fell into the impluvium or cistern.

    In the centre of the floor of the atrium a portion was sunk for the reception of rain water; this was termed the impluvium; and above it an opening of similar dimensions was left in the ceiling or roof, termed the compluvium.

    1881, William Audsley, Popular Dictionary of Architecture and the Allied Arts: Aquila to Baptisterium

Origin

  1. Latincompluvium
  2. Englishcompluvium

Borrowed from Latin compluvium.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan compluvi
  • compluviTranslations
German Kompluvium
  • KompluviumTranslations
Italian compluvio
  • compluvioTranslations
Portuguese complúvio
  • complúvioTranslations
Russian комплювий
  • комплювий (kompljuvij)Translations
Spanish compluvio
  • compluvioTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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