Word: emporium Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Borrowed from Latin emporium (“trading station; business district in a city; market town”), from Ancient Greek ἐμπόριον (empórion, “factory, trading station; market”), from ἔμπορος (émporos, “merchant, trader; traveller”) + -ιον (-ion, suffix forming nouns). ἔμπορος is derived from ἐμ- (em-) (variant of ἐν- (en-, prefix meaning ‘in; within’)) + πόρος (póros, “journey; passageway”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“to go through; to carry forth”)), modelled after ἐν πόρῳ (en pórōi, “at sea; en route”). Sense 4 (“the brain”) alludes to the organ as the place where many nerves or nerve impulses meet. Not related to English empire. Pronunciation: /ɛmˈpɔːɹ.i.əm/, /ɪm-/, /ɛmˈpoɹ.i.əm/, /ɛmˈpoː(ə)ɹ.i.əm/ 1. A city or region which is a major trading centre; also, a place within a city for commerce and trading; a marketplace. Labels: also, figuratively Example: Venice a poore fiſhertowne, Paris, London, ſmall Cottages, in Cæſars time, now moſt noble Emporiums. Example: And, while this fam'd Emporium we prepare, / The Britiſh Ocean ſhall ſuch triumphs boaſt, / That thoſe who now diſdain our Trade to ſhare, / Shall rob like Pyrats on our wealthy Coaſt. 2. A shop that offers a wide variety of goods for sale; a department store; (with a descriptive word) a shop specializing in particular goods. Labels: also, figuratively Example: With a name like “The Wine and Spirits Emporium”, no wonder the prices are so high. Example: Then, as if he wiſhed to convert himſelf into a vaſt emporium of every error, he applied to the doctrines of the modern Sophiſters, and thus plied his unfortunate brain on the one ſide with all the delirious conceits of Cabaliſtic Maſonry, and on the other with the impious doctrines of the ſelf-created Philoſophers. 3. A business set up to enable foreign traders to engage in commerce in a country; a factory (now the more common term). Labels: historical Example: The advantages to be enjoyed, and laws conformed to by the men of war of either ſtate, the trade to be carried on in America, the catching of herrings or other fiſh, the ſettling of emporiums, &c. ſhall be adjuſted by a ſpecial treaty. Example: On the ſouthern branch is a town called Pipely, where there was formerly an Engliſh factory; but this was removed to Huguley, one hundred and ſixty miles farther up the river; a place which, together with the company's ſettlement at Calcutta, were the emporiums of their commerce for the whole kingdom of Bengal. 4. The brain. Labels: broadly, obsolete Example: Catalepſy is occaſioned by a Relaxation of the Fibers of the Emporium, which cannot receive the outward Impreſſions, whereby the Soul has its Senſations, and yet give a free Paſſage to the Animal Spirits into all the Parts, whither they may be conveyed independently upon the Will. The Relaxation of the Fibers of the Emporium is occaſioned by a thin Seroſity, which remains in the very Texture of the Fibers, to relax them without leſſening their Cavity, as it happens in the periodical Oedema’s, that are daily obſerved upon ſeveral Parts of the Skin. Example: Observing, then that the emporium or brain itself reflects the entire product of all the senses by an impressible power, which, as by a looking-glass, exactly duplicated the external recognizers, or sense apparatus or limbs, it was inferred that the principle of duplication must be the true and exact counterpart to evergency; [...]