Definition
calefactories
noun
- Plural of calefactory: a heated room in a monastery or convent where monks or nuns could warm themselves.
Usage: archaic; historical; chiefly British
Examples
- The medieval monastery had several calefactories where the monks gathered during winter.
- In cold climates, calefactories were essential spaces in religious communities.
- The calefactories of the abbey provided relief from the unheated dormitories.
- Historical records describe the calefactories as the only heated rooms in many convents.