oubliette

[oo-blee-et]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR oubliette ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a secret dungeon with an opening only in the ceiling, as in certain old castles.

Origin of oubliette

1810–20; < French, Middle French, equivalent to oubli(er) to forget, Old French oblider < Vulgar Latin *oblītāre, derivative of Latin oblītus (past participle of oblīvīscī to forget; see oblivion) + Middle French -ette -ette

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for oubliette

cell, vault

Examples from the Web for oubliette

Historical Examples of oubliette

It is the oubliette in which the Staphilinus buries the remains of his victims.
The Industries of Animals
Frdric Houssay
The gloomy chamber, however, is generally called an oubliette.
Normandy, Complete
Gordon Home
Do you remember the oubliette between the guard-room and the tower?
Pietro Ghisleri
F. (Francis) Marion Crawford
After the stench of the oubliette, it was like heaven to Hyla.
The Serf
Guy Thorne
In the centre of the chamber there is an oubliette to the darkness below.
Winged Wheels in France
Michael Myers Shoemaker

British Dictionary definitions for oubliette

oubliette

noun

a dungeon, the only entrance to which is through the top

Word Origin for oubliette

C19: from French, from oublier to forget

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

Word Origin and History for oubliette

"secret dungeon reached only via trapdoor," 1819, from French oubliette (14c.), from Middle French oublier "to forget, show negligence," Old French oblier, oblider, from Vulgar Latin *oblitare, from Latin oblitus, past participle of oblivisci "to forget" (see oblivion).