Definition

A system used in ancient Roman buildings to heat rooms or baths by circulating warm air from a furnace through spaces under the floor.

Example

The ancient Romans used a hypocaust to keep their baths warm and comfortable.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of a hypocaust?

Yeah, it's that ancient heating system, right?

Exactly! I read that it was used in Roman baths.

That's pretty cool; I love how innovative they were back then.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Hypocaust is formed from "hypo-" (meaning under) and "caust" (from the Greek "kaustikos", meaning burning). The word refers to an ancient heating system that involved heating air beneath the floors, hence the idea of heating from below.

Memory Tip

Think of 'under' ('hypo-') and 'burning' ('caust') to remember that a hypocaust is a system that heats from underneath.

Visually Confused Words