Hypocaust — Hyp o*caust, n. [L. hypocaustum, Gr. ?; ? under + ? to burn: cf. F. hypocauste.] (Anc. Arch.) A furnace, esp. one connected with a series of small chambers and flues of tiles or other masonry through which the heat of a fire was distributed to… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
hypocaust — ► NOUN ▪ an ancient Roman heating system, comprising a hollow space under the floor into which hot air was directed. ORIGIN Greek hupokauston place heated from below … English terms dictionary
hypocaust — [hī′pō kôst΄, hip′ōkôst΄] n. [L hypocaustum < Gr hypokauston < hypokaiein, to heat by applying fire below < hypo (see HYPO ) + kaiein, to burn] a space below the floor in some ancient Roman buildings, into which hot air was piped to warm … English World dictionary
Hypocaust — A hypocaust (Latin hypocaustum ) is an ancient Roman system of central heating. The word literally means heat from below , from the Greek hypo meaning below or underneath, and kaiein , to burn or light a fire. They are traditionally considered to … Wikipedia
hypocaust — /huy peuh kawst , hip euh /, n. a hollow space or system of channels in the floor or walls of some ancient Roman buildings that provided a central heating system by receiving and distributing the heat from a furnace. [1670 80; < L hypocaustum … Universalium
Hypocaust — Ein Hypokaustum oder Hypokauste (griech. hypokauston = „von unten heizen“) ist eine Warmluftheizung (Hypokaustenheizung), bei der ein massiver Körper mit warmer Luft durchströmt wird, der aber im Vergleich zu einem Heizkörper eine niedrigere… … Deutsch Wikipedia
hypocaust — noun Etymology: Latin hypocaustum, from Greek hypokauston, from hypokaiein to light a fire under, from hypo + kaiein to burn Date: 1678 an ancient Roman central heating system with underground furnace and tile flues to distribute the heat … New Collegiate Dictionary
hypocaust — (HYE poh kawst) [Latin, from Greek] In ancient Rome, a space or channel, under the floor or in the wall, in which heated air was received and distributed through a central heating system. In the summer palace of Herod the Great (d. 4 b.c.) on… … Dictionary of foreign words and phrases
hypocaust — [ hʌɪpə(ʊ)kɔ:st] noun an ancient Roman heating system, comprising a hollow space under the floor into which hot air was directed. Origin from L. hypocaustum, from Gk hupokauston place heated from below … English new terms dictionary
hypocaust — hy·po·caust … English syllables
