souterrain

[ soo-tuh-reyn, soo-tuh-reyn ]

/ ˌsu təˈreɪn, ˈsu təˌreɪn /

noun Chiefly Archaeology.

a subterranean passage or structure; grotto.

Words nearby souterrain

soustelle, soutache, soutane, soutenu, souter, souterrain, south, south africa, south african, south african dutch, south african republic

Origin of souterrain

1725–35; < French: literally, underground, calque of Latin subterrāneus; see sous-sous, terrain

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

Examples from the Web for souterrain

It is a small fort, and on the top we saw the narrow entrance to the souterrain.
Ulster Folklore|Elizabeth Andrews
She describes it as "a souterrain containing six chambers, with a length of eighty-seven feet exclusive of a flooded chamber."
Ulster Folklore|Elizabeth Andrews
On the other hand, there appears to be no objection to growing crops on the top of a souterrain.
Ulster Folklore|Elizabeth Andrews
In many cases we do find the entrance to a souterrain is in a fort.
Ulster Folklore|Elizabeth Andrews

My best thanks are also due to Mrs. Hobson for allowing me to make use of her photograph of the entrance to this souterrain.
Ulster Folklore|Elizabeth Andrews

British Dictionary definitions for souterrain

souterrain

/ (ˈsuːtəˌreɪn) /

noun

archaeol an underground chamber or passage

Word Origin for souterrain

C18: from French

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