plural atria
ˈā-trē-ə 
also atriums
also atriums
1
: the central room of a Roman house
2
plural usually atriums
a
: a rectangular open patio around which a house is built
b
: a many-storied court in a building (such as a hotel) usually with a skylight
3
[New Latin, from Latin]
: an anatomical cavity or passage
especially
: the chamber or either of the chambers of the heart that receives blood from the veins and forces it into the ventricle or ventricles see heart illustration
Did you know?
In an ancient Roman house, an atrium was an open central court that contained the impluvium, a basin where rainwater collected. It originally contained the hearth and functioned as the center of family life. The term later came to be used for the open front courtyard of a Christian basilica, where congregants collected before services. The atrium was revived in the 20th century in the form of glass-covered, greenery-filled multistory spaces sometimes found in shopping centers, office buildings, and large hotels.
Examples of atrium in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The small space doesn’t include an atrium, which was a common feature in wealthy Pompeian homes, per a statement from the Pompeii Archaeological Park.
—
Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Oct. 2024
Situated in the central district of the ancient city, the house is smaller than normal and unusually lacks the open central courtyard – known as an atrium – that is typical of Roman architecture, the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, which oversees the site, said in a statement Thursday.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 25 Oct. 2024
The design focuses on modernising the space while remaining true to its heritage, with the glass atrium remaining as an impressive ceiling feature.
—Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
The six-story Grand Staircase with a view of the pyramids and an atrium containing monuments, pharaonic statues and sarcophagi opened in November.
—Keir Simmons, NBC News, 16 Oct. 2024
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Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Oct. 2024
Situated in the central district of the ancient city, the house is smaller than normal and unusually lacks the open central courtyard – known as an atrium – that is typical of Roman architecture, the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, which oversees the site, said in a statement Thursday.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 25 Oct. 2024
The design focuses on modernising the space while remaining true to its heritage, with the glass atrium remaining as an impressive ceiling feature.
—Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
The six-story Grand Staircase with a view of the pyramids and an atrium containing monuments, pharaonic statues and sarcophagi opened in November.
—Keir Simmons, NBC News, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for atrium
Dictionary Entries Near atrium
Cite this Entry
“Atrium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atrium. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
atrium
noun
atri·um
ˈā-trē-əm
plural atria
-trē-ə
also atriums
also atriums
: a chamber of the heart receiving blood from the veins and forcing it into a ventricle that in lung-breathing vertebrates (as frogs and human beings) is one of two chambers of which the right receives blood full of carbon dioxide from the body and the left receives oxygen-rich blood from the lungs but in gill-breathing vertebrates (as fishes) is only a single chamber
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