Vomitory
/ˈvɒmɪtəri/noun
A passage or opening in a theater or amphitheater through which crowds exit, or something associated with vomiting.
Did you know?Roman vomitoria were passageways beneath or behind arena seating, named from Latin vomere, “to spew forth,” because they discharged crowds rapidly—not because spectators vomited there.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wem-
“To vomit or spew out”
Proto-Italic
Proto-Italic
*womē-
“To discharge or vomit”
Classical Latin
Latin
vomere
“To vomit, spew, or eject forcefully”
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Latin
vomitorium
“An exit or passage that “spews out” people”
Late Latin
Latin
vomitorius
“Vomiting or serving as an outlet”
16th Century
English
vomitory
“A passageway for exiting a theater or an agent that induces vomiting”