undercroft

noun

un·​der·​croft ˈən-dər-ˌkrȯft How to pronounce undercroft (audio)
: a subterranean room
especially : a vaulted chamber under a church

Examples of undercroft in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When finished, the undercroft will house 15,000 square feet of exhibition space surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass walls that offer views of the rest of the unfinished undercroft. — Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Mar. 2023 Fish fry in the undercroft. — Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 1 Mar. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from under + crofte crypt, from Middle Dutch, from Medieval Latin crupta, from Latin crypta — more at crypt

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of undercroft was in the 14th century

Rhymes for undercroft

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Browse Nearby Words

undercovert
undercroft
undercrossing
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Cite this Entry

“Undercroft.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undercroft. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.

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