hypocaust

noun

hy·​po·​caust ˈhī-pə-ˌkȯst 

: an ancient Roman central heating system with underground furnace and tile flues to distribute the heat

Examples of hypocaust in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The hypocaust, an ancient system of central heating that circulated hot air beneath the floors of the house, signals a level of luxury atypical for rural estates in Roman Gaul. — Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin hypocaustum, from Greek hypokauston, from hypokaiein to light a fire under, from hypo- + kaiein to burn

First Known Use

1678, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hypocaust

• holocaust
• permafrost
• accost
• crisscrossed
• defrost
• embossed
• exhaust
• recrossed
• uncrossed
• bossed
• cost
• crossed