piscina

American  

[pi-sahy-nuh, pi-see-] / pɪˈsaɪ nə, pɪˈsi- /

noun

Ecclesiastical.

• piscinae
  plural

1. a basin with a drain used for certain ablutions, now generally in the sacristy.

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piscina British  

/ pɪˈsiːnə /

noun

1. RC Church a stone basin, with a drain, in a church or sacristy where water used at Mass is poured away

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• piscinal
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• piscinae
  plural

Etymology

Origin of piscina

1590–1600; < Medieval Latin, special use of Latin piscīna a fish pond, swimming pool, equivalent to pisc ( is ) fish + -īna, feminine of -īnus -ine ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

piscina piscinae

The North-East Transept is the chapel of St. John Baptist, and contains a Decorated piscina.

From Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Wells A Description of Its Fabric and a Brief History of the Episcopal See by Percy Dearmer

On a central column in the piscina was a statue of Cupid, with a dove, from the mouth of which water issued.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 6 "Foraminifera" to "Fox, Edward" by Various

It takes the form of a small table of wood or stone, sometimes fixed and sometimes merely a shelf above or near the piscina.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 6 "Coucy-le-Château" to "Crocodile" by Various

In the interior, the timber roof of the nave, the clustered columns, and the sedilia and piscina are excellent specimens of work of the decorated period.

From Edge Hill The Battle and Battlefield by Edwin Walford

The east window square-headed, of some height from the floor, shewing that there was an altar once below it, and a piscina occurs in the pier of the arch on the south side.

From The Strife of the Roses and Days of the Tudors in the West by William Henry Hamilton Rogers

Oysters from the Lucrine Lake were in great demand; snails were fattened in ponds for cooking, while the villas of the rich had their piscinae filled with fresh or salt-water fish.

From Beacon Lights of History, Volume 03 Ancient Achievements by John Lord

There are within it two piscinae and two aumbries at different levels, indicating, no doubt, an alteration of level in the altar itself during the period that this chantry was in use.

From Bell's Cathedrals: A Short Account of Romsey Abbey A Description of the Fabric and Notes on the History of the Convent of Ss. Mary & Ethelfleda by Rev. Thomas Perkins

The religious houses had their piscinae and vivaria—their stews and fish-pools.

From The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 05 (From Charlemagne to Frederick Barbarossa) by Charles F. (Charles Francis) Horne

Before the Reformation there certainly were two altars on that side, one at each extremity, where piscinae were discovered during the restorations of 1832.

From Bell's Cathedrals: Southwark Cathedral Formerly the Collegiate Church of St. Saviour, Otherwise St. Mary Overie. A Short History and Description of the Fabric, with Some Account of the College and the See by George Worley

In the eastern aisles of each arm of the transept there were three chantry chapels, whose piscinae remain.

From Yorkshire by Gordon Home