hypocaustn.
/ˈhɪpə(ʊ)kɔːst//ˈhʌɪpə(ʊ)kɔːst/ Roman History.
a. A hollow space extending under the floor of the calidarium, in which the heat from the furnace (hypocausis, ὑπόκαυσις) was accumulated for the heating of the house or of a bath.It has been sometimes explained as ‘a vaulted room heated by a furnace below’ (which may have been the primary sense), and sometimes erroneously identified with the hypocausis or furnace itself.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > heating or making hot > that which or one who heats > [noun] > a device for heating or warming > devices for heating buildings, rooms, etc. > hypocaust
hypocaust1678
1678 E. Phillips New World of Words (new ed.) Hypocaust, a Hot-house to sweat in, or a Stove.
1696 E. Phillips New World of Words (new ed.) Hypocaust, a subterraneal Place, wherein there was a Furnace, which served to heat the Baths of the Ancients.
1774 T. Pennant Tour Scotl. 1772 70 A fine hypocaust or bath was discovered.
1851 D. Wilson Archæol. & Prehistoric Ann. Scotl. iii. ii. 364 The Roman mansion, with its hypocaust.
1885 J. H. Middleton Anc. Rome 334 Vitruvius's description of the hypocausts or hollow floors used for heating the hot rooms (calidaria) agrees closely with many existing examples.
1887 Encycl. Brit. XXII. 579/1 In the remains of Roman Villas found in Britain the hypocaust is an invariable feature.
1890 W. Smith et al. Dict. Greek & Rom. Antiq. (ed. 3) I. 278/1 The passages from the furnace to the hypocaust and the flues in the walls appear to have been called cuniculi.
b. transferred. A stove.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > heating or making hot > that which or one who heats > [noun] > a device for heating or warming > devices for heating buildings, rooms, etc. > stove
stove1604
furnace1691
fire stove1699
stow1730
poil1756
stove-fire1769
hypocaust1829
magazine stove1875
1829 W. Scott Anne of Geierstein II. vii. 201 The stubé..of a German inn, derived its name from the great hypocaust..which is always strongly heated to secure the warmth of the apartment in which it is placed.
Derivatives
ˈhypocausted adj. furnished with a hypocaust or hypocausts.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > heating or making hot > that which or one who heats > [adjective] > furnished with a hypocaust
hypocausted1897
1897 Antiquary Nov. 321 They found a large villa. It was very extensively hypocausted.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1899; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
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n.1678