atrium
UK: ˈeɪ.tri.əm | US: ˈeɪ.tri.əm
n. 1. The central hall or main room of an ancient Roman house, open to the sky.
n. 2. An open-roofed entrance hall or central court in a modern building.
n. 3. (Anatomy) Each of the two upper chambers of the heart that receive blood.
The word "atrium" traces back to Latin atrium, originally referring to the central hall of a Roman house, often darkened by smoke from the hearth (hence the root atr-, meaning "black" or "shade"). Over time, the term evolved to describe architectural spaces with open roofs, later adopted in anatomy for heart chambers due to their "receiving" function, akin to the hall's role in gathering people or light.
The ancient villa featured a grand atrium with a marble fountain.
Modern office buildings often include an atrium to allow natural light indoors.
Blood enters the right atrium of the heart through the vena cava.
The hotel’s glass-roofed atrium was filled with tropical plants.
Archaeologists uncovered a well-preserved atrium in the Roman ruins.