Meanings
plural leprosariums · plural leprosaria
- An isolated building or community used to house lepers, usually in permanent quarantine from the rest of society.
In the middle of the twelfth century, France had more than 2,000 leprosariums
1971, José Barchilon, introduction to Madness & Civilization1 more example
"I don't understand it. We've been playing real well up to now." "We've been playing leprosariums and barber's colleges."
1972, Don DeLillo, End Zone, page 58Synonyms: leprosaria, leprosy
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn isolated building or community used to house lepers, usually in permanent quarantine from the rest of society.
Origin
- Medieval Latinleprōsārium
- Englishleprosarium
Borrowed from Medieval Latin leprōsārium, from leprōsus (“leprous”) + -ārium (“-ary: building related to”). Doublet of leprosery.
More words from Medieval Latin
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with leprosarium
Cite this entry
leprosarium. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/leprosarium
“leprosarium.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/leprosarium. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “leprosarium,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/leprosarium.
Source: leprosarium on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.