/kol'euhm bair"ee euhm/ , n. , pl. columbaria /-bair"ee euh/ .
1. a sepulchral vault or other structure with recesses in the walls to receive the ashes of the dead.
2. any one of these recesses.
3. columbary.
[ 1840-50; columb ( a ) pigeon, dove + -arium -ARY ]