grotto

About 0.65 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. noun A small cave.
2. noun An artificial cavern-like retreat.
3. noun A Marian shrine, usually built in a cavern-like structure.
4. noun A local organization of cavers that typically organizes trips to caves and provides information and training for caving; a caving club.
5. noun A secretive name for a local group of underground Satanists.
6. noun A garden or roadside shrine with a small cave containing a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Can we verify this sense?)

Similar words

grot cavern cave-in cove cave pit wine cave room lodge cottage

Often followed by

of in and at is was where with to

Word family

grottoes grottos