columbarium

American  

[kol-uhm-bair-ee-uhm] / ˌkɒl əmˈbɛər i əm /

noun

plural

columbaria

1. a sepulchral vault or other structure with recesses in the walls to receive the ashes of the dead.

2. any one of these recesses.

3. columbary.

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columbarium British  

/ ˌkɒləmˈbɛərɪəm /

noun

1. another name for a dovecote

2. a vault having niches for funeral urns

3. a hole in a wall into which a beam is inserted

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Etymology

Origin of columbarium

1840–50; < Latin: literally, a nesting box for pigeons, equivalent to columb ( a ) pigeon, dove + -ārium -ary

Example Sentences

Mei and Shing casually dismiss Angie’s insistence that Pat wanted to have her ashes scattered at sea, instead heeding the advice of their fortuneteller, arranging for a traditional ritual and internment in a columbarium.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 27, 2024

If she left behind enough money in her estate, her ashes would go into an individual niche with a nameplate in a columbarium, where urns are stored.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 4, 2024

At a columbarium, there is little to sweep and not enough space for elaborate altar spreads.

From New York Times • Mar. 28, 2023

The event is centered on volunteers who place wreaths at a veteran’s headstone or columbarium niche to honor their legacy and sacrifice.

From Washington Times • Nov. 29, 2022

Those introduced into Britain by the Normans were modelled on the Roman columbarium, a massive circular structure, lined with nest-holes, and having a domed roof.

From The New Gresham Encyclopedia Volume 4, Part 1: Deposition to Eberswalde by Various