Both Uses
atrium
in
All the Light We Cannot See
(Auto-generated)
- A slender wooden jetty arcs out from a beach called the Plage du Mole; a delicate, reticulated atrium vaults over the seafood market; minute benches, the smallest no larger than apple seeds, dot the tiny public squares.†
p. 5.4 *
- Before he goes to bed, Volkheimer descends three flights of stairs to the atrium to check his mail.†
p. 498.8
Definitions:
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(1)
(atrium as in: atrium of the building) a central open space in a building -- often a large skylit hall near the entranceIn ancient Roman houses and early Christian churches, an atrium was an open courtyard. In many modern buildings, it is an indoor space that may include plants, water features, and balconies or walkways to other rooms.
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(2)
(atrium as in: right atrium of the heart) chamber from which blood enters the heart
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(3)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) Much less commonly, atrium can refer to anatomical structures other than the heart.