scriptorium

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-? Proto-Indo-European *(s)kreybʰ- Proto-Indo-European *(s)kréybʰeti Proto-Italic *skreiβō Medieval Latin scrībō Proto-Indo-European *-tōr Proto-Italic *-tōr Medieval Latin -tor Medieval Latin scrīptor Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Medieval Latin -ium ▲ Medieval Latin scrībō ▲ Medieval Latin -tor ▲ Medieval Latin -ius Medieval Latin -tōrius Medieval Latin -tōrium Medieval Latin scrīptōriumbor. English scriptorium From Medieval Latin scrīptōrium, from Latin scrīptōrius (“pertaining to writing”). Doublet of escritoire.

1. A room set aside for the copying, writing, or illuminating of manuscripts and records, especially such a room in a monastery.

   “The rules of the scriptorium varied in different monasteries, but artificial light was forbidden for fear of injury to the manuscripts, and silence was always enforced.”

   “Very soon, however, I hesitated. It was labour-intensive work, scriptorium-slow.”