necessarium

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See also: Necessarium

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Latin necessarium (reredorter; outhouse),[1] from necesse (unavoidable or necessary [thing]) + -ārium (-arium, -ium: forming locations).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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necessarium (plural necessariums or necessaria)

  1. (architecture) Synonym of reredorter: a monastery's latrine, outhouse, or lavatory, typically located behind the dormitory.
    • 1848, The Archaeological Journal, volume V, page 101:
      The other outlet from the pisalis [] leads to the necessarium, in the corner of which a light [] is kept burning.
    • 1878, "Abbey" in Encyclopædia Britannica, 9th ed., Vol. I, p. 13:
      A passage at the other end [of the dormitory from the passage to the south transept of St Gall's church leads to the “necessarium” (I), a portion of the monastic buildings always planned with extreme care.
  2. (humorous, sometimes capitalized or with the definite article) A lavatory.
    • 1967 December 21, The Listener, page 802:
      Viewers [] don't mind having a hundred variations, from ‘The Necessarium’ to ‘The Thunder-Box’ to choose from.

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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References

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  1. ^ Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd ed. "necessarium, n." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 2013.

Latin

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Pronunciation

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Noun

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necessārium n (genitive necessāriī or necessārī); second declension

  1. A reredorter: a monastery's latrine, outhouse, or lavatory.
  2. Any outhouse.

Declension

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Second-declension noun (neuter).

Case Singular Plural
Nominative necessārium necessāria
Genitive necessāriī
necessārī1
necessāriōrum
Dative necessāriō necessāriīs
Accusative necessārium necessāria
Ablative necessāriō necessāriīs
Vocative necessārium necessāria

1Found in older Latin (until the Augustan Age).

Adjective

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necessārium

  1. nominative neuter singular of necessārius