triclinium

noun

tri·​clin·​i·​um trī-ˈkli-nē-əm How to pronounce triclinium (audio)
plural triclinia trī-ˈkli-nē-ə How to pronounce triclinium (audio)
1
: a couch extending around three sides of a table used by the ancient Romans for reclining at meals
2
: a dining room furnished with a triclinium

Examples of triclinium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Visitors passed through an Egyptian Hall of the Kings and then into a reproduction 15,000-square-foot Roman house, complete with sunken atrium and a triclinium — dining room — with the sort of couches Romans reclined on while eating. Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2021 Both bodies were found lying on a triclinium eating space in what was likely the home’s dining room. Elizabeth Djinis, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 May 2022 Judging by its size and complexity, experts posit that the mosaic once decorated the floor of a triclinium, or formal Roman dining room. Nora McGreevy, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Mar. 2022 Onlookers can witness the traditional cutting of the grapes and visit the wine cellar and a triclinium. Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'triclinium.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek triklinion, from tri- + klinein to lean, recline — more at lean

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of triclinium was in 1646

Dictionary Entries Near triclinium

Cite this Entry

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

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