penetralia

[ pen-i-trey-lee-uh ]

See synonyms for penetralia on Thesaurus.com

plural noun

the innermost parts or recesses of a place or thing.
the most private or secret things.

Origin of penetralia

First recorded in 1660–70; from Latin, noun use of neuter plural of penetrālis “inner,” equivalent to penetr(āre) “to penetrate ” + -ālis -al¹

Other words from penetralia

pen·e·tra·li·an, adjective

Words Nearby penetralia

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use penetralia in a sentence

She wants to make me the stepping-stone to social success; she sighs for the purple penetralia of the plutocracy.
Belford's Magazine, Vol. II, No. 3, February 1889 | Various
Yet at such an hour it will now be necessary to enter its penetralia.
Auriol | W. Harrison Ainsworth
He wished to be what he called "safe" with all those whom he had admitted to the penetralia of his house and heart.
Barchester Towers | Anthony Trollope
Here lay the penetralia of this domicile, this weak fortification against the world.
The Broken Gate | Emerson Hough
He saw them darting out from the hidden penetralia around, moving swiftly across and sometimes darting in shoals before him.
Cord and Creese | James de Mille

British Dictionary definitions for penetralia

penetralia

/ (ˌpɛnɪˈtreɪlɪə) /

pl n

the innermost parts
secret matters

Origin of penetralia

C17: from Latin, from penetrālis inner, from penetrāre to penetrate

Derived forms of penetralia

penetralian, adjective

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

Browse