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triforium

American  
[trahy-fawr-ee-uhm, -fohr-] / traɪˈfɔr i əm, -ˈfoʊr- /

noun

Architecture.
  • triforia
    plural
  1. (in a church) the wall at the side of the nave, choir, or transept, corresponding to the space between the vaulting or ceiling and the roof of an aisle, often having a blind arcade or an opening in a gallery.


triforium British  
/ traɪˈfɔːrɪəm /

noun

  1. an arcade above the arches of the nave, choir, or transept of a church

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of triforium

1695–1705; < Anglo-Latin, special use of Medieval Latin triforium kind of gallery, literally, something with three openings, equivalent to Latin tri- tri- + for ( is ) opening, door + -ium -ium

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

A new museum overlooks the nave, through the stone arches of the 13th-century triforium, where monks once did laps in penance.

From Washington Post Jan. 10, 2019

The triforium is to be converted to create public gallery and exhibition space in what will be the first major addition to the building since 1745.

From BBC Oct. 27, 2014

Huge colored banners had been hung from the triforium and all the candles on the piers were lit.

From "Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction" by David Macaulay

Above them was the triforium, a row of arches that went up another twenty feet in front of a narrow passageway.

From "Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction" by David Macaulay

In Hollar's picture the upper portion of the triforium windows can be seen, so that they must have become practically a portion of the clerestory during this time.

From Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Lichfield A Description of Its Fabric and A Brief History of the Espicopal See by A. B. Clifton

In these respects the architect has reversed the old arrangement, as in the original nave the two westernmost bays had open triforia, the others simply containing a shallow arcading.

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

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