atrium

[ ey-tree-uhm ]

noun

, plural a·tri·a [ey, -tree-, uh], a·tri·ums.

1. Architecture.
   1. Also called cavaedium. the main or central room of an ancient Roman house, open to the sky at the center and usually having a pool for the collection of rainwater.
   2. a courtyard, flanked or surrounded by porticoes, in front of an early or medieval Christian church.
   3. a skylit central court in a contemporary building or house.
2. Anatomy. either of the two upper chambers on each side of the heart that receive blood from the veins and in turn force it into the ventricles.

atrium

/ ˈeɪtrɪəm; ˈɑː- /

noun

1. the open main court of a Roman house
2. a central often glass-roofed hall that extends through several storeys in a building, such as a shopping centre or hotel
3. a court in front of an early Christian or medieval church, esp one flanked by colonnades
4. anatomy a cavity or chamber in the body, esp the upper chamber of each half of the heart

atrium

/ ā′trē-əm /

, Plural atria

1. A chamber of the heart that receives blood from the veins and forces it by muscular contraction into a ventricle. Mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians have two atria; fish have one.

Derived Forms

• ˈatrial, adjective

Other Words From

• atri·al adjective
• inter·atri·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of atrium¹

First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin (in anatomical sense, from New Latin )

Word History and Origins

Origin of atrium¹

C17: from Latin; related to āter black, perhaps originally referring to the part of the house that was blackened by smoke from the hearth

Example Sentences

In Manhattan's Midtown and Financial District, "they still have some commercial buildings which have public atriums. Sometimes you just have to deal with it and find shade and drink lots of water."

From Salon

Trump announced Friday that he was holding a press conference in the atrium of Trump Tower in Manhattan.

From Los Angeles Times

Three of the buildings are so tall they only fit in MOHAI’s atrium.

From Seattle Times

As Lee and Johnsen prepare for the next growing season, they’re nurturing hundreds of plants inside the atrium of their home as well as germinating and starting new plants from seedlings.

From Seattle Times

In AF, the upper chambers of the heart, called the atria, beat erratically and at runaway speeds, out of sync with the lower chambers.

From Science Magazine

Related Words

• chamber
• entrance