velarium

noun

ve·​lar·​i·​um vi-ˈler-ē-əm How to pronounce velarium (audio)
plural velaria vi-ˈler-ē-ə How to pronounce velarium (audio)
: an awning over an ancient Roman theater or amphitheater

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin vēlārium "curtain" + -ārium -ary entry 1

Note: The sole instance of the word in classical Latin (in a satire of Juvenal) refers to a curtain in a theater; the notion that velarium referred specifically to an awning in an amphitheater is an invention of post-classical antiquarians and lexicographers.

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of velarium was in 1834

Dictionary Entries Near velarium

Cite this Entry

“Velarium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/velarium. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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