atrium
atri·um
noun \ˈā-trē-əm\ plural atria \-trē-ə\ also atri·ums
Definition of ATRIUM
1
: the central room of a Roman house
2
plural usually atriums a : a rectangular open patio around which a house is built b : a many-storied court in a building (as a hotel) usually with a skylight
3
[New Latin, from Latin] : an anatomical cavity or passage; especially : the chamber or either of the chambers of the heart that receives blood from the veins and forces it into the ventricle or ventricles — see heart illustration
— atri·al \-trē-əl\ adjective
Origin of ATRIUM
Latin
First Known Use: 1577
atri·um
noun \ˈā-trē-əm\ (Medical Dictionary)plural atria \-trē-ə\ also atri·ums
Medical Definition of ATRIUM
: an anatomical cavity or passage; especially : a chamber of the heart that receives blood from the veins and forces it into a ventricle or ventricles
atrium
noun (Concise Encyclopedia)In an ancient Roman house, an open central court that contained the impluvium, a basin where rainwater collected. It originally contained the hearth and functioned as the center of family life. The term later came to be used for the open front courtyard of a Christian basilica, where congregants collected before services. The atrium was revived in the 20th century in the form of glass-covered, greenery-filled multistory spaces sometimes found in shopping centers, office buildings, and large hotels.
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