vault

[ vawlt ]

/ vɔlt /

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See synonyms for: vault / vaulted / vaulting on Thesaurus.com

noun

an arched structure, usually made of stones, concrete, or bricks, forming a ceiling or roof over a hall, room, sewer, or other wholly or partially enclosed construction.

an arched structure resembling a vault.

a space, chamber, or passage enclosed by a vault or vaultlike structure, especially one located underground.

an underground chamber, as a cellar or a division of a cellar.

a room or compartment, often built of or lined with steel, reserved for the storage and safekeeping of valuables, especially such a place in a bank.

a strong metal cabinet, usually fireproof and burglarproof, for the storage and safekeeping of valuables, important papers, etc.

a burial chamber.

Anatomy. an arched roof of a cavity.

something likened to an arched roof: the vault of heaven.

verb (used with object)

to construct or cover with a vault.

to make in the form of a vault; arch.

to extend or stretch over in the manner of an arch; overarch: An arbor vaulted the path.

to store in a vault: The paintings will be vaulted when the museum is closed.

verb (used without object)

to curve or bend in the form of a vault.

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Origin of vault

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English noun vaut(e), vout(e), volt(e), volute, from Old French volte, vote, from unrecorded Vulgar Latin volvita, for Latin volūta, noun use of feminine past participle of Latin volvere “to turn”; verb derivative of the noun

OTHER WORDS FROM vault

vaultlike, adjective

Words nearby vault

vaudevillian, Vaudois, Vaughan, Vaughan Williams, Vaughn, vault, vaulted, vaulting, vaulting horse, vault light, vaulty

Other definitions for vault (2 of 2)

vault²

[ vawlt ]

/ vɔlt /

verb (used without object)

to leap or spring, as to or from a position or over something: He vaulted over the tennis net.

to leap with the hands supported by something, as by a horizontal pole.

Gymnastics. to leap over a vaulting horse or pommel horse, using the hands for pushing off.

to arrive at or achieve something as if by a spring or leap: to vault into prominence.

verb (used with object)

to leap over: to vault a fence.

to cause to leap over or surpass others: Advertising has vaulted the new perfume into first place.

noun

the act of vaulting.

a leap of a horse; curvet.

Gymnastics. a running jump over a vaulting horse or a pommel horse, usually finishing with an acrobatic dismount.

Origin of vault

First recorded in 1530–40; verb from Middle French volter “to leap,” from Old Italian voltare, from unrecorded Vulgar Latin volvitāre “to turn, leap”; the noun is derivative of the verb

synonym study for vault

1. See jump.

OTHER WORDS FROM vault

vaulter, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use vault in a sentence

Reading this book is like sticking a stethoscoped ear to the vault containing the cryptocurrency industry’s origins.
The best books of 2020, according to Fortune staff|Rachel King|December 6, 2020|Fortune
VOSD resident historian Randy Dotinga — we truly don’t know where he gets these things — is back with another one from the vault in honor of Wednesday’s vice presidential debate.
Morning Report: What Dems Say They’d Do With County Control|Voice of San Diego|October 8, 2020|Voice of San Diego
You can set how the software interacts with your browser, set up alerts for when your credentials are involved in a data breach, and set a default vault for new passwords.
How to get started using a password manager|David Nield|September 8, 2020|Popular-Science
All the closing documents go into a digital vault that attorneys and lenders can access online.
First he took energy trading and the NYSE electronic. Now Jeff Sprecher of ICE shares his plans to digitize your mortgage|Shawn Tully|September 2, 2020|Fortune

A gymnast launching off the vault will flip and twist multiple times within a single second.
A robot referee can really keep its ‘eye’ on the ball|Kathryn Hulick|August 20, 2020|Science News For Students
It was fronted by what looked like a heavily reinforced bank vault door.
Writing a Novel: Even Making It Up Requires Research|Ridley Pearson|July 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They are simply repositories of capital, like so many gold bars in the vault of a bank.
London’s Oligarch Ghost Town|Tom Sykes|June 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was, he writes, like “looking into the vault of the universe.”
Exploring the Amazon, While We Still Can|Darrell Hartman|May 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For decades, these fascinating recordings languished in the Cash Family vault, unheard and unremembered.
The Inside Story of Johnny Cash’s Legendary Lost LP, ‘Out Among the Stars’|Andrew Romano|March 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Now, we're in a very small, very hot room with no decor—there is only an ominous-looking vault door.
The Secret Speakeasies of Buenos Aires|Jeff Campagna|February 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
(b) To open the Treasury vault, the presence of two persons designated by the Secretary of the Treasury is required.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips
Each entry on the vault record book shall be signed by the persons having access to the safe.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips
On the 18th fifty heavy shells, including 12-inch and 14-inch, dropped out of the blue vault of heaven on to the Anzacs.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
Coloured shafts mapped the vault from horizon to zenith like the spokes of a prodigious wheel of fire.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood
Cautiously they began to go up into the dark vault of the upper house, the boards creaking under their weight.
The Empty House And Other Ghost Stories|Algernon Blackwood

British Dictionary definitions for vault (1 of 2)

vault¹

/ (vɔːlt) /

noun

an arched structure that forms a roof or ceiling

a room, esp a cellar, having an arched roof down to floor level

a burial chamber, esp when underground

a strongroom for the safe-deposit and storage of valuables

an underground room or part of such a room, used for the storage of wine, food, etc

anatomy any arched or domed bodily cavity or spacethe cranial vault

something suggestive of an arched structure, as the sky

verb

(tr) to furnish with or as if with an arched roof

(tr) to construct in the shape of a vault

(intr) to curve, arch, or bend in the shape of a vault

Derived forms of vault

vaultlike, adjective

Word Origin for vault

C14: vaute, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin volvita (unattested) a turn, probably from Latin volvere to roll

British Dictionary definitions for vault (2 of 2)

vault²

/ (vɔːlt) /

verb

to spring over (an object), esp with the aid of a long pole or with the hands resting on the object

(intr) to do, achieve, or attain something as if by a leaphe vaulted to fame on the strength of his discovery

dressage to perform or cause to perform a curvet

noun

the act of vaulting

dressage a low leap; curvet

Derived forms of vault

vaulter, noun

Word Origin for vault

C16: from Old French voulter to turn, from Italian voltare to turn, from Vulgar Latin volvitāre (unattested) to turn, leap; see vault 1

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

vault

Origin of vault

OTHER WORDS FROM vault

Words nearby vault

Other definitions for vault (2 of 2)

Origin of vault

synonym study for vault

OTHER WORDS FROM vault

Words related to vault

How to use vault in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for vault (1 of 2)

Derived forms of vault

Word Origin for vault

British Dictionary definitions for vault (2 of 2)

Derived forms of vault

Word Origin for vault