undercroft

American  

[uhn-der-krawft, -kroft] / ˈʌn dərˌkrɔft, -ˌkrɒft /

noun

1. a vault or chamber under the ground, especially in a church.

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undercroft British  

/ ˈʌndəˌkrɒft /

noun

1. an underground chamber, such as a church crypt, often with a vaulted ceiling

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Etymology

Origin of undercroft

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at under, croft ¹

Example Sentences

Eight and a half years ago, I attended my first in-person meeting, in the undercroft of a Unitarian Church in Brooklyn.

From New York Times • Apr. 2, 2020

I had a CVS employee show me how to use a price scanner, and a church employee tell me what an undercroft is.

From New York Times • Jan. 7, 2018

Once Slater and his crew had established Archigram’s empty spaces as the breeding ground of their weird new hobby, generation after generation of young skateboarders made the pilgrimage to the undercroft.

From The Guardian • Aug. 7, 2017

At 10 a.m., she will lead a forum discussion in the church’s undercroft.

From Washington Post • Oct. 28, 2016

Here at Wokingham there was a picturesque old town hall with an open undercroft, supported on pillars; but the townsfolk must needs pull it down and erect an unsightly brick building in its stead.

From Vanishing England by Ditchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)