• (British) IPA: /vɒlt/, /vɔːlt/
• (America) IPA: /vɑlt/, /vɔlt/

vault (plural vaults)

1. An arched masonry structure supporting and forming a ceiling, whether freestanding or forming part of a larger building.

   The decoration of the vault of Sainte-Chapelle was much brighter before its 19th-century restoration.

   • the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault

2. Any arched ceiling or roof.
3. (figuratively) Anything resembling such a downward-facing concave structure, particularly the sky and caves.

   The stalactites held tightly to the cave's vault.

   • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act V, scene iii]:

     that heaven's vault should crack

4. the silent vaults of death

5. 1985, Bible (NJB), Genesis, 1:6:

   God said, ‘Let there be a vault through the middle of the waters to divide the waters in two.’

6. The space covered by an arched roof, particularly underground rooms and (Christianity, obsolete) church crypts.
7. Any cellar or underground storeroom.
   • 1730, Jonathan Swift, A Panegyrick on the Dean

     to banish rats that haunt our vault

8. Any burial chamber, particularly those underground.

   Family members had been buried in the vault for centuries.

9. The secure room or rooms in or below a bank used to store currency and other valuables; similar rooms in other settings.

   The bank kept their money safe in a large vault.

10. (gymnastics) A piece of apparatus used for performing jumps.
11. (gymnastics) A gymnastic movement performed on this apparatus.
12. (computing) An encrypted digital archive.
13. (obsolete) An underground or covered conduit for water or waste; a drain; a sewer.
14. (obsolete) An underground or covered reservoir for water or waste; a cistern; a cesspit.
15. (obsolete, euphemism) A room employing a cesspit or sewer: an outhouse; a lavatory.

• (outhouse or lavatory) See Thesaurus:bathroom
• (gymnastic apparatus) vaulting table

• French: voûte, voute
• German: Gewölbe, Gewölbebogen, Tonnengewölbe, Kreuzgewölbe
• Italian: volta
• Portuguese: abóbada
• Russian: свод
• Spanish: bóveda

• French: voûte, voute
• German: Kuppel
• Portuguese: abóbada
• Russian: свод

• French: voûte or voute; cellier (wines)
• German: Keller, Gewölbekeller, Kasematte, Kellerraum
• Russian: по́греб

• German: Katakombe
• Russian: склеп

• French: chambre-forte (bank)
• German: Tresor (bank), Tresorraum, Stahlkammer
• Russian: храни́лище

• French: perche
• German: Sprungtisch, Sprungpferd, Pferd, Bock

• German: Sprung

• German: Schließfach

vault (vaults, present participle vaulting; past and past participle vaulted)

1. (transitive) To build as, or cover with a vault.
   • 1814 July 6, [Walter Scott], Waverley; or, ’Tis Sixty Years Since. In Three Volumes, volume (please specify ), Edinburgh: Printed by James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, OCLC 270129598 ↗:

• Portuguese: abobadar

vault (vaults, present participle vaulting; past and past participle vaulted)

1. (ambitransitive) To jump or leap over.

   The fugitive vaulted over the fence to escape.

• French: bondir
• Italian: volteggiare, balzare, saltare
• Russian: перепры́гивать
• Spanish: saltar

vault (plural vaults)

1. An act of vaulting, formerly (chiefly) by deer; a leap or jump.
2. (equestrianism) Synonym of volte#English|volte: a circular movement by the horse.
3. (gymnastics) An event or performance involving a vaulting horse.

• Italian: volteggio, salto
• Russian: прыжо́к
• Spanish: salto

• French: saut de cheval
• Russian: опо́рный прыжо́к
• Spanish: salto