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Glite Dictionary
tablinum

tablinum

1 9.9
A room in an old Roman house used for meeting guests and doing business
  • noun
  • /ˈtæblɪnəm/
  • Archaic
: tablinum
  • The tablinum served as a private study for the Roman family.

Examples

  • Casa del Optatio/VII.2, 13-15, Tablinum E, fourth style megalographic.

    Academic text (2012)

  • Visitors were greeted in the tablinum before entering the main living area.

  • He displayed his important documents in the tablinum where he conducted business.

Synonyms

parlor
vstablinum
  • US
77 4.4

A room in a house or inn where people sit to talk and meet guests

is used both for official work and for receiving visitors

Surface Forms

tablinum singular
tablina plural

Etymology

Tablinum comes from the Latin word tabula, meaning 'tablet' or 'board', with an ending that shows 'a place'. Think of the same root in English table and tablet, so a tablinum was a 'room for writing and records', which is why it served as the office or reception area in a Roman house.