gynaeceum

¹ American  

[jin-uh-see-uhm, gahy-nuh-, jahy-nuh-] / ˌdʒɪn əˈsi əm, ˌgaɪ nə-, ˌdʒaɪ nə- /

noun

plural

gynaecea

1. (among the ancient Greeks) the part of a dwelling used by women.

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gynaeceum ² American  

[jin-uh-see-uhm, gahy-nuh-, jahy-nuh-] / ˌdʒɪn əˈsi əm, ˌgaɪ nə-, ˌdʒaɪ nə- /

noun

Botany.

plural

gynaecea

1. gynoecium.

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gynaeceum British  

/ ˌdʒaɪnɪˈsiːəm /

noun

1. (in ancient Greece and Rome) the inner section of a house, used as women's quarters

2. a variant spelling of gynoecium

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Etymology

Origin of gynaeceum

1600–10; < Latin gynaecēum < Greek gynaikeíon, equivalent to gynaik- (stem of gynḗ ) woman + -eion noun suffix of place

Example Sentences

The elusive Italian author Elena Ferrante has said that women writers tend to be shut “in a literary gynaeceum” by the books industry, even though “we know how to think, we know how to tell stories, we know how to write them as well as, if not better, than men”.

From The Guardian

The truth is that even the publishing industry and the media are convinced of this commonplace; both tend to shut women who write away in a literary gynaeceum.

From The Guardian

“What if, instead, we’re dealing with a new tradition of women writers who are becoming more competent, more effective, are growing tired of the literary gynaeceum and are on furlough from gender stereotypes?” she asked.

From The Guardian

The northern compartment of the gynaeceum connects with the gynaeceum of the north church.

From Project Gutenberg

The Northern Church.—This is a simple and dignified building of the domed 'four column' type, with a gynaeceum above the narthex.

From Project Gutenberg