oculus

O1C3U1L1U1S1
UK/ˈɒk.jʊ.ləs/US/ˈɑk.jə.ləs/

noun

The central boss of a volute.

“One can glimpse the sky through the oculus of the Pantheon in Rome.”

Similar
eyeoptic
OriginLatin oculus →
UncommonScrabble 8
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Meanings

nounoculus (plural oculi)

plural oculi

  1. A window or other opening that has an oval or circular shape (as of an eye).
    1. architectureThe central boss of a volute.
    2. architectureAn opening at the apex of a dome.

      One can glimpse the sky through the oculus of the Pantheon in Rome.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe organ of sight

Similar
eyeoptic
Broader
sense organsensory receptorreceptor
Also see
eyeopticskylight

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinoculus“eye”
  2. Englishoculus

Learned borrowing from Latin oculus (“eye”). Doublet of occhio.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian кръгъл прозорец
  • кръгъл прозорец (krăgăl prozorec)circular window or opening
Catalan ull de bou, òcul
  • ull de boucircular window or opening
  • òculcircular window or opening
French œil-de-bœuf
  • œil-de-bœufcircular window or opening
German Oculus, Ochsenauge
  • Oculuscircular window or opening
  • Ochsenaugecircular window or opening
  • Rundfenstercircular window or opening
Hebrew אוֹקוּלוּס
  • אוֹקוּלוּס (okulus)circular window or opening
Italian opaion
  • opaioncircular window or opening
Japanese 目, 眼
  • 目 (me)circular window or opening
  • 眼 (me)circular window or opening
Polish oculus
  • oculuscircular window or opening
Spanish óculo
  • óculocircular window or opening
Swedish oculus, oxöga
  • oculuscircular window or opening
  • oxögacircular window or opening
Cite this entry
APA

oculus. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oculus

MLA

“oculus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oculus. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “oculus,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oculus.

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