grotto

Meaning

Noun

• A small cave.
• An artificial cavern-like retreat.
• A Marian shrine, usually built in a cavern-like structure.
• A local organization of cavers that typically organizes trips to caves and provides information and training for caving; a caving club.
• A secretive name for a local group of underground Satanists.

Origin

• From Italian grotta, from Vulgar Latin grupta, from Classical Latin crypta. crypt.