noun
Common
vault
volt
Vault (noun) means a strong, secure room, especially one used to store money, valuables, or important records. Example: “The bank's vault held millions of dollars in cash.”
noun
1
A strong, secure room, especially one used to store money, valuables, or important records.
"The bank's vault held millions of dollars in cash."
"She kept her jewelry locked in a fireproof vault at home."
"The museum keeps its rarest coins in a vault beneath the building."
2
An arched ceiling or roof, or an underground chamber shaped like one, including burial chambers.
"The cathedral's stone vault soared high above the pews."
"Candles lit the ancient vault where the family's ancestors were buried."
"Visitors craned their necks to admire the painted vault over the main hall."
verb
1
To jump or leap over something in one motion, usually with a hand or pole for support.
"The gymnast vaulted over the horse with perfect form."
"He vaulted the fence to escape the dog."
"She vaulted over the low wall and ran across the field."
2
To store something securely, as if in a vault.
"The studio vaulted the unreleased film for decades."
How to use vault
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a secure storage room, or the act of leaping over something.
Common pairings
bank vault
vault over
pole vault
burial vault
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like vault.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- vaults
- Third person singular
- vaults
- Past tense
- vaulted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The bank's _____ held millions of dollars in cash.
Etymology
From Old French volte ("a turn"), tracing back to Latin volvere ("to roll, to turn") — the arched shape of a vault resembles a turned or rolled curve.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for vault
See all rhymes for vault →Frequently asked questions
What does “vault” mean?
The word “vault” means a strong, secure room, especially one used to store money, valuables, or important records. In plain terms, either a secure storage room, or the act of leaping over something.
How do you pronounce “vault”?
“Vault” is pronounced volt (/vɑlt/ in IPA).
How do you use “vault” in a sentence?
Here is “vault” used in a sentence: “The bank's vault held millions of dollars in cash.”
What part of speech is “vault”?
Depending on how it is used, “vault” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “vault” come from?
The word “vault” comes from Latin. From Old French volte ("a turn"), tracing back to Latin volvere ("to roll, to turn") — the arched shape of a vault resembles a turned or rolled curve.
Is “vault” a common word?
“Vault” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “vault” have?
“Vault” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a strong, secure room, especially one used to store money, valuables, or important records.
What is the difference between a vault and a safe?
A vault is a strong, secure room used to store money, valuables, or important records, large enough to walk into. A safe is a smaller box, often portable or built in, for similar purposes. Size and being a room rather than a container are the key differences.
What is the difference between vaulting and jumping?
To vault is to leap over something in one motion, usually pushing off with a hand or a pole for support. Jump is the general word and needs no support or object to clear, so vaulting is a more specific, athletic action.
What is a pole vault?
A pole vault is a track-and-field event in which an athlete uses a long, flexible pole to leap over a high bar. It is a direct use of the verb vault, meaning to leap over something with the help of a pole.
Can vault be used as a verb meaning to store something?
Yes. Besides leaping, vault can mean to store something securely as if in a vault, as in files vaulted for safekeeping. This use echoes the noun sense of a strong, secure room.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include vault:
