exedra

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exedra, exhedra.
1. Passage, colonnade, portico, or other outdoor element, often fitted with seats, or where debate and conversation could occur.

2. Large semicircular niche-like building with stone seats ranged around the walls, sometimes with a hemidome over, resembling a large apse, often arranged on an axis related to a larger space.

3. Semicircular low wall with seats on the concave side so that the wall acts as the seatbacks.

4. Place in a garden partially enclosed by a semicircular hedge, walls, etc.