Athenaeum
[ath-ə-NEE-əm]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Latin, mid 18th century
1.
Used in the names of libraries or institutions for literary or scientific study.
2.
Used in the titles of periodicals concerned with literature, science, and art.
Examples of Athenaeum in a sentence
"Lauren went to the athenaeum that housed the rare, specialized books she needed."
"The literary society recently published the first edition of “Athenaeum.”"
About Athenaeum
This word comes from the Latinized form of the Greek “Athēnaion,” denoting the temple of the goddess Athene in ancient Athens (which was used for teaching).
Did you Know?
While the word might be unfamiliar to some, “athenaeum” is a surprisingly common word used in many names and titles. It appears in the titles of numerous libraries, books, and periodicals, such as West Virginia University’s “The Daily Athenaeum.” There’s also theaters like the Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture in Chicago and Athenaeum Foundation in Indianapolis. The Mexican Youth Athenaeum in Mexico City was a civil association founded in 1909 to highlight culture and art by organizing public meetings and debates. “Athenaeum” is also both a town and a fort in ancient Arcadia, Greece; a rock band from North Carolina; and “The Athenaeum” is an unfinished portrait of George Washington.
