Velarium
/vɪˈlɛəriəm/noun
A large awning or canopy, especially one stretched over an ancient Roman amphitheater.
Did you know?The Colosseum’s velarium was reportedly operated by sailors from the Roman navy, who maneuvered its enormous canvas panels like a ship’s rigging.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wes-
“To clothe or cover; a proposed ancestral root associated with Latin velum and related covering words.”
Archaic Latin
Latin
vēlum
“A sail, curtain, covering, or piece of cloth.”
Classical Latin
Latin
vēlārium
“A large awning or sail-like covering, particularly one stretched over a theater or amphitheater.”
1st Century CE
Latin
vēlārium
“The retractable canopy used in Roman public venues to shield spectators from sun or rain.”
17th Century
English
velarium
“A canopy or awning modeled on the Roman term.”
Modern English
English
velarium
“A large covering or awning, especially the canopy of a Roman amphitheater.”