Definition

A special room or area in an ancient temple that is considered very holy and is usually only accessible to priests.

Example

The priests entered the adytum to perform their sacred rituals.

Conversation

Have you ever heard about the adytum of ancient temples?

Yeah, it's supposed to be a really sacred place.

I read that only priests were allowed to enter the adytum.

That's fascinating! I wish I could see something like that.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Adytum comes from the Greek 'adytos' (meaning inaccessible or unapproachable), which is derived from 'a-' (meaning not) and 'dyein' (meaning to enter). The term originally referred to the innermost sanctuary of a temple, a place that was not accessible to everyone.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sacred place that is 'inaccessible' ('adytos') to most people, which helps you remember that 'adytum' refers to a holy or restricted area.

Visually Confused Words