/pul vuy"neuhr/ , n. , pl. pulvinaria /pul'veuh nair"ee euh/ , adj.
n.
1. (in ancient Rome)
a. a cushioned couch kept in readiness for any visitation of a god.
b. a cushioned seat at a circus.
2. Also called pulvinus . (on an Ionic capital) either of two convex forms having on their ends two of the volutes.
adj.
3. pulvinate (def. 3).
[ 1590-1600; (n.) pulvinar cushioned couch, equiv. to pulvin ( us ) cushion + -ar, shortening of -are, neut. of aris -AR 1 ; (adj.) PULVIN(US) + -AR 1 ]