catacomb

noun

cat·​a·​comb ˈka-tə-ˌkōm 

1

: a subterranean cemetery of galleries with recesses for tombs

—usually used in plural

2

: something resembling a catacomb: such as

a

: an underground passageway or group of passageways

b

: a complex set of interrelated things

the endless catacombs of formal education

—Kingman Brewster †1988

Did you know?

About forty Christian catacombs have been found near the roads that once led into Rome. After the decline of the Roman empire these cemeteries were forgotten, not to be rediscovered until 1578. Catacomb has come to refer to different kinds of underground chambers and passageways. The catacombs of Paris are abandoned stone quarries that were not used for burials until 1787. The catacombs built by a monastery in Palermo, Sicily, for its deceased members later began accepting bodies from outside the monastery; today you may wander through looking at hundreds of mummified corpses propped against the catacomb walls, dressed in tattered clothes that were once fashionable.

Synonyms

• crypt
• vault

Examples of catacomb in a Sentence

explored the catacombs looking for evidence about burial customs of that ancient society

Recent Examples on the Web

What’s a place in L.A. that might be comparable to the catacombs? —Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2025

Created and written by George R.R. Martin and Hidetaka Miyazaki, the original video game is an open-world third-person game where gamers can explore six different areas set in the Lands Between and travel through dungeons, catacombs, and more. —Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 22 May 2025

Players explore the environment using a slew of weapons and magic spells in hidden dungeons, caves, catacombs and more. —Caroline Blair, People.com, 23 May 2025

At Dark Universe, a land that harnesses Universal’s horror history, a ride called Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment takes guests deep into the catacombs of Frankenstein Manor, where Dr. Victoria Frankenstein conducts experiments. —Tom Tapp, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English catacumb, Middle French catacombe, probably from Old Italian catacomba, from Late Latin catacumbae, plural

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for catacomb

• acrosome
• aerodrome
• centrosome
• chromosome
• cytochrome
• hippodrome
• honeycomb
• liposome
• meerschaum
• metronome
• microtome
• monochrome

Kids Definition

catacomb

noun

cat·​a·​comb ˈkat-ə-ˌkōm 

: an underground place of burial

—usually used in plural