catacomb

== English == === Etymology === 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”)). Some sources suggest Ancient Greek κύμβη (kúmbē, “drinking vessel”) as an alternative etymon, but the semantic link is unclear. === Pronunciation === (UK) IPA(key): /ˈkætəkuːm/, (less often) /ˈkætəkəʊm/ (US) IPA(key): /ˈkætəkoʊm/, (less often) /ˈkætəkum/ === Noun === catacomb (plural catacombs) (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 ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === References ===