‖ impluvium
(ɪmˈpl(j)uːvɪəm)
[L. impluvium, f. impluĕre to rain into.]
In ancient Roman houses, the square basin situated in the middle of the atrium or hall, which received the rain-water from the compluvium or open space in the roof. (But sometimes also used in the same sense as compluvium.) b. (See quot. 1811.)
| 1811 Hooper Med. Dict., Impluvium, the shower-bath. An embrocation. 1823 Crabb Technol. Dict. s.v., The impulvium differs from the compluvium, according to Festus in this, that the rain falls down into the Impluvium, but collects from different parts of the roof into the Compluvium. 1832 Gell Pompeiana I. viii. 146 The atrium..with its impluvium near the centre, under which was a cistern. 1834 Lytton Pompeii i. iii, A square, shallow reservoir for rain water, (classically termed impluvium). 1856 Blackmore C. Nowell vi. (1881) 21 Trouble overflowed the impluvium. |