atrium

noun

atri·​um ˈā-trē-əm 

plural atria ˈā-trē-ə  also atriums

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 (such 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

atrial

ˈā-trē-əl 

adjective

Did you know?

In an ancient Roman house, an atrium was 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.

Examples of atrium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The gastropub-style menu features elevated hot dog dishes, a Snake River Farms Wagyu beef burger, chili nachos and a large beer menu. Oeste Bar: Located in the hotel’s atrium, Oeste is a bar specializing in cocktails that celebrate Mexican flavors and heritage and a large selection of tequilas. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 May 2025

The team at the hotel suggested using the atrium in The Mark restaurant, from which an aerial shot of Cardi’s full dress could be captured before she was hidden in umbrellas and whisked out onto the carpet. —Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 1 May 2025

The wall slices through the home, guiding you from the open-air atrium to indoor living spaces, all wrapped in sliding glass and shadow play. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2025

Independent journalists posted videos of security officials evacuating people from the atrium during the incident. —Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

atrium

noun

atri·​um ˈā-trē-əm 

plural atria -trē-ə  also atriums

: a chamber of the heart receiving blood from the veins and forcing it into a ventricle that in lung-breathing vertebrates (as frogs and human beings) is one of two chambers of which the right receives blood full of carbon dioxide from the body and the left receives oxygen-rich blood from the lungs but in gill-breathing vertebrates (as fishes) is only a single chamber

Medical Definition

atrium

noun

atri·​um ˈā-trē-əm 

plural atria -trē-ə  also atriums

: 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