columbarium

Meaning

1. (historical) A large, sometimes architecturally impressive building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves, particularly those of ancien regime France.
2. A pigeonhole in such a dovecote.
3. A building, a vault or a similar place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns containing cremated remains.
4. A niche in such a building for housing urns.

Synonyms

dovecote

cinerarium

columbary

dovecot

dove-cot

pigeon loft

pigeon-hole

dove-cote

dove-house

body snatcher

Translations

colombario

Columbarium

Kolumbarium

columbarium

Urnenhalle

columbario

columbarium

columbari

colombier

columbarium

Taubenhaus

Cinerarium

περιστερώνας

κολουμβάριο

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin columbārium, from columba (“pigeon”) + -ārium (“place for”).