Xyst
/zɪst/noun
A long, open portico or covered walkway, especially in ancient Greek and Roman architecture.
Did you know?Xyst comes from Greek xystos, meaning “scraped” or “polished,” from the verb xyein, because the space was smoothed and prepared like a ritual surface.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
xystos
“scraped, polished; also a smooth or prepared surface”
Classical Greek
Greek
xystos (ξυστός)
“a covered colonnade or promenade, especially for exercise”
Latin
Latin
xystus
“a garden walk or portico”
Middle English
English
xist / xyst
“a portico or covered walk”
Modern English
English
xyst
“a long portico or covered walkway”