catacomb

From Middle English catacombe, from Old English catacumbe, catacumbas pl, from Late Latin catacumbae pl, name of the underground cemetery of St. Sebastian in Rome, of unclear origin. Perhaps a dissimilation (influenced by *cumbō (“to lie, recline”)) of Late Latin cata tumbās (literally “among the tombs”) (from Ancient Greek κατά (katá, “under”) and τύμβος (túmbos, “tomb”)).^[1][2] Some sources suggest Ancient Greek κύμβη (kúmbē, “drinking vessel”) as an alternative etymon, but the semantic link is unclear.^[3]

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈkætəkuːm/, (less often) /ˈkætəkəʊm/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈkætəkoʊm/, (less often) /ˈkætəkum/

• Audio (US):

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catacomb (plural catacombs)

1. (often plural) An underground system of tunnels and chambers with recesses for graves, used (in former times) as a cemetery; a tunnel system used for burying the dead, as in Paris or Ancient Rome.

   Hypernym: cuniculus

   Meronyms: crypt, ossuary