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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

undercroft

At last, part of the Lincoln Memorial undercroft opened to the public earlier this summer, immediately taking its place as one of Washington’s most breathtaking attractions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

Along the undercroft corridor, a series of modest but well-conceived exhibits tells the story of the Memorial’s construction—highlighted by a display of boots, shovels and other detritus recovered from the soggy floors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

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

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

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 P. H. (Peter Hampson) Ditchfield

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