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hypogeum

American  
[hahy-puh-jee-uhm, hip-uh-] / ˌhaɪ pəˈdʒi əm, ˌhɪp ə- /

noun

hypogea plural
  1. Ancient Architecture. the underground part of a building, as a vault.

  2. an underground burial chamber.


hypogeum British  
/ ˌhaɪpəˈdʒiːəm /

noun

  1. an underground vault, esp one used for burials

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of hypogeum

1700–10; < Latin hypogēum < Greek hypógeion underground chamber (neuter of hypógeios underground), equivalent to hypo- hypo- + earth + -ion neuter adj. suffix

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Ever since his trip beneath Rome with Piper and Percy, fighting those twin giants in the hypogeum under the Colosseum, most of his nightmares were about basements, trapdoors, and large hamster wheels.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

“You’re a Roman demigod, aren’t you? You should know! Ah, but I suppose if we do our job right down here in the underworks, you really wouldn’t know the hypogeum exists.”

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

The hypogeum ascended through a forest of weathered stone columns, into the middle of a ruined coliseum.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

“Now we have to hurry,” said the Big F. “We should go through your stage directions. The hypogeum is all set!”

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

She still had nightmares about the nymphaeum and the hypogeum under Rome.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Arachidic acid is derived from Arachis hypogea, the scientific name for groundnuts or peanuts.

From Textbooks Jun. 9, 2022

For years archaeologists have debated whether the dual-level labyrinth of chambers beneath the Colosseum arena known as the hypogea support or disprove the notion that aquatic displays were staged in the arena.

From Slate Jan. 28, 2016

He would not deign to examine even the masterpieces of Elephanta, or the mysterious hypogea, concealed southeast from the docks, or those fine remains of Buddhist architecture, the Kanherian grottoes of the island of Salcette.

From Around the World in 80 Days Junior Edition by Verne, Jules

The whole deep rock had been perforated patiently to make hypogea and sepulchral chambers, great and small, and veritable palaces for the dead, adorned with innumerable painted figures.

From Egypt (La Mort de Philae) by Baines, William Peter

He would not deign to examine even the masterpieces of Elephanta, or the mysterious hypogea, concealed south-east from the docks, or those fine remains of Buddhist architecture, the Kanherian grottoes of the island of Salcette.

From Around the World in 80 Days by Verne, Jules

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