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)

Atrium of the basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, Milan, 1088–1128.—Alinari/Art Resource, New York

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.