An ancient Roman temple or shrine, especially a small one dedicated to a specific deity.
From Latin 'fanum,' meaning temple or sanctuary, possibly related to 'fas' (divine law). The word describes the physical structures Romans built for religious worship and survives in modern English as an archaeological term.
The word 'fanum' is crucial for understanding Roman religion—these small shrines dotted the empire, and archaeologists use this term to identify religious sites on digs. Many place names across Europe still contain 'fanum' in altered form, like 'Famum' in modern place names.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.