oubliette

dungeon entered only from above

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An architectural cutaway of a deep stone dungeon with uninterrupted walls and a single small ceiling hatch, making its only entrance unmistakable.

noun

oubliette

oo-blee-ET/ˌubliˈɛt/

A hidden dungeon accessible only through an opening above.

Etymology

oublietteFrenchdungeon entered only from above

French oubliette comes from oublier, “to forget.” Its grim image is a place where a prisoner could be forgotten: such dungeons held people condemned to perpetual imprisonment or to perish secretly.

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oubliette