hypocaust

H4Y4P3O1C3A1U1S1T1

noun

An underfloor space or flue through which heat from a furnace passes to heat the floor of a room or a bath.

Similar
floor heatingunderfloor heatinghippocaust
OriginLatin hypocaustum ← Ancient Greek ὑπόκαυστον →
Scrabble 19
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Meanings

nounhypocaust (plural hypocausts)

plural hypocausts

  1. An underfloor space or flue through which heat from a furnace passes to heat the floor of a room or a bath.
  2. An underfloor heating system, even without such an underfloor space or flue, as adapted for modern housing.

    Synonyms: floor heating, underfloor heating

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAn underfloor heating system, even without such an underfloor space or flue, as adapted for modern housing.

Similar
floor heatingunderfloor heating
Similar
hippocaust

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekὑπό“underneath”
  2. Ancient Greekὑπόκαυστον
  3. Latinhypocaustum
  4. Englishhypocaust

From Latin hypocaustum, from Ancient Greek ὑπόκαυστον (hupókauston), from Ancient Greek ὑπό (hupó, “underneath”) + καυστόν (kaustón, “burnt offering”).

More words from Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan hipocaust
  • hipocaustunderground heating system for a bath
Finnish hypokausti
  • hypokaustiunderground heating system for a bath
French hypocauste
  • hypocausteunderground heating system for a bath
German Hypokaustum, Hypokauste
  • Hypokaustumunderground heating system for a bath
  • Hypokausteunderground heating system for a bath
  • Heizgewölbeunderground heating system for a bath
Irish hipeacóst
  • hipeacóstunderground heating system for a bath
Italian ipocausto
  • ipocaustounderground heating system for a bath
Japanese ハイポコースト
  • ハイポコースト (haipokōsuto)underground heating system for a bath
Korean 고래, 온돌
  • 고래 (gorae)underground heating system for a bath
  • 온돌 (ondol)underground heating system for a bath
  • 구들 (gudeul)underground heating system for a bath
  • 구돌 (gudol)underground heating system for a bath
Latin hypocaustum, hypocauston
  • hypocaustumunderground heating system for a bath
  • hypocaustonunderground heating system for a bath
Russian гипока́уст
  • гипока́уст (gipokáust)underground heating system for a bath
Spanish hipocausto
  • hipocaustounderground heating system for a bath
Swedish hypokaust
  • hypokaustunderground heating system for a bath
Turkish hipokaust
  • hipokaustunderground heating system for a bath
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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