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oubliette

[ oo-blee-et ]
/ ˌu bliˈɛt /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR oubliette

noun

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

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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

Words nearby oubliette

Ouagadougou, ouananiche, oubaas, Oubangi, Oubangui, oubliette, ouch, oud, Oudh, Oudry, Oudtshoorn
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to oubliette

cell, vault

Example sentences from the Web for oubliette

British Dictionary definitions for oubliette

oubliette
/ (ˌuːblɪˈɛt) /

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