xyst

[ zist ]

noun

(in ancient Greek and Roman architecture) a covered portico, as a promenade.
(in an ancient Roman villa) a garden walk planted with trees.

Origin of xyst

1655–65; <Latin xystus garden terrace, shaded walk <Greek xystós a covered colonnade

Also xystum, xystus.

Words Nearby xyst

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use xyst in a sentence

xyst, zist, n. a covered portico used by athletes for their exercises.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) | Various

British Dictionary definitions for xyst

xyst

xystus or xystos (ˈzɪstəs)

/ (zɪst) /

noun

a long portico, esp one used in ancient Greece for athletics
(in ancient Rome) a covered garden walk or one lined with trees

Origin of xyst

C17: from Latin xystus, from Greek xustos, literally: smoothed, polished (area), from xuein to scrape, make smooth

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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