noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˌkɒləmˈbɛəɹi.əm/
Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˌkɑləmˈbɛri.əm/
rhymes with -ɛəɹiəm
1
noun
Meaning 1
A columbary, especially a large and architecturally impressive one for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves, such as those in ancien régime France.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
Examples
Meronym: pigeonhole
Near-synonyms: dovecote, pigeon loft
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dovecote, pigeon loft
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A pigeonhole in such a dovecote.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A building, a vault or a similar place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns containing cremated remains.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: cinerarium
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A niche in such a building for housing urns.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
a sepulchral vault or other structure having recesses in the walls to receive cinerary urns
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: vault, burial vault
6
noun
Meaning 6
a niche for a funeral urn containing the ashes of the cremated dead
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: cinerarium
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: recess, niche
7
noun
Meaning 7
a birdhouse for pigeons
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dovecote, columbary
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: birdhouse
History
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin columbārium, from columba (“pigeon”) + -ārium (“place for”).
Across languages
Translations
47 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
colomar
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Dutch:
duivenhuis
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Dutch:
columbarium
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
German:
Taubenhaus
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
German:
Taubenschlag
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
German:
Kolumbarium
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
German:
Columbarium
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Greek:
περιστερώνας
(peristerónas)
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Ancient Greek:
περιστερεών
(peristereṓn)
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Ido:
kolumbario
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Irish:
colmlann
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Italian:
colombario
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Latin:
columbarium
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Persian:
کبوترخانه
(kabutarxâne)
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Portuguese:
columbário
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Portuguese:
pombal
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Romanian:
porumbar
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Russian:
голубя́тня
(golubjátnja)
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Spanish:
palomar
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Swedish:
duvslag
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Ukrainian:
голубни́к
(holubnýk)
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Welsh:
colomendy
— a building for housing a large colony of pigeons or doves
Catalan:
columbari
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Chinese Mandarin:
納骨塔 /纳骨塔
(nàgǔtǎ)
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Chinese Mandarin:
骨灰安置所
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Chinese Mandarin:
骨灰龕場 /骨灰龛场
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Chinese Mandarin:
靈灰閣 /灵灰阁
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Dutch:
columbarium
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Finnish:
uurnaholvi
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Finnish:
kolumbaario
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
French:
columbarium
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
German:
Urnenhalle
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
German:
Kolumbarium
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
German:
Columbarium
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Greek:
τεφροφυλάκιο
(tefrofylákio)
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Greek:
κολουμβάριο
(koloumvário)
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Ido:
kolumbario
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Italian:
colombario
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Japanese:
納骨堂
(nōkotsudō)
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Polish:
kolumbarium
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Portuguese:
columbário
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Romanian:
columbar
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Russian:
колумба́рий
(kolumbárij)
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Spanish:
columbario
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Swedish:
kolumbarium
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Turkish:
kolumbaryum
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
Ukrainian:
колумба́рій
(kolumbárij)
— a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns
