Definition of Impluvium

1. n. In Roman dwellings, a cistern or tank, set in the atrium or peristyle to recieve the water from the roof, by means of the compluvium; generally made ornamental with flowers and works of art around its birm.

Definition of Impluvium

1. Noun. (architecture) A low basin in the center of a household atrium, into which rainwater flowed down from the roof through the compluvium. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Impluvium

1. a rain water receptacle in Roman houses [n IMPLUVIA]

Medical Definition of Impluvium

1. In Roman dwellings, a cistern or tank, set in the atrium or peristyle to recieve the water from the roof, by means of the compluvium; generally made ornamental with flowers and works of art around its birm. Origin: L, fr. Impluere to rain into; pref. Im- in + pluere to rain. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Impluvium

implosive therapy
implosively
implosiveness
implosives
imploy
imployed
imploying
imployment
imploys
implumed
implunge
implunged
implunges
implunging
impluvia
impluvium (current term)
impluviums
imply
implying
impocket
impockets
impoison
impoisoned
impoisoner
impoisoners
impoisoning
impoisonment
impoisonments
impoisons
impolarily

Literary usage of Impluvium

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Elements of Civil Architecture, According to Vitruvius and Other by Henry Aldrich, Philip Smyth (1818)
"... gutters in them to collect the water falling from the eaves, and to convey it by pipes into the part of the court-yard, which they termed impluvium. ..."

2. Gallus: Or, Roman Scenes of the Time of Augustus. With Notes and Excursuses by Wilhelm Adolf Becker (1903)
"In the centre was an uncovered space, area, styled impluvium, and enclosed on ... It is evident that impluvium was the name of the open space, from Plaut. ..."

3. Gallus: Or, Roman Scenes of the Time of Augustus by Wilhelm Adolf Becker (1844)
"Secondly, if the whole space be meant, with the impluvium in the middle, there arises another difficulty. Vitruvius speaks of the atria being thirty feet ..."

4. A Manual of Roman Antiquities by Charles Anthon (1851)
"The breadth of the impluvium, according to Vitruvius,* was not less than a quarter nor greater than a ..."

Other Resources:

Search for Impluvium on Dictionary.com!Search for Impluvium on Thesaurus.com!Search for Impluvium on Google!Search for Impluvium on Wikipedia!

Search