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Definition of catacomb

catacomb

/ˈkæt.ə.koʊm/
cat · a · comb
Plural:catacombs
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catacomb Lexical Profile

catacomb Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

An underground cemetery consisting of a subterranean gallery or network of passages with recesses excavated in the walls for tombs (often used in the plural).

Example

"Archaeologists carefully mapped the ancient Roman catacombs carved into the soft volcanic rock beneath the city."

2

A complex, labyrinthine network of underground tunnels, cellars, or passageways resembling a subterranean burial ground.

Example

"The historic winery stores thousands of oak barrels in a cool, damp catacomb of limestone cellars."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for catacomb

• Nearby Words

cat-eyed snake
cataclysm
cataclysmic
catacomb
catalog
cataloger
catalpa

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed via Old French from Late Latin 'catacumbae', originally the proper name of an ancient subterranean Christian cemetery near Rome (traditionally explained as Greek 'kata' meaning 'down' and 'tymbos' meaning 'tomb', or a Latin phrase meaning 'among the hollows').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Catacomb. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/catacomb
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