ignifies a bee-hive. The word is formed of alveus, "channel or cavity," in allusion to the alveoli or cells in bee-hives.

Some of the ancients use also the word alvearium for a bee-house, more usually called among us apiary.

ALVEARIUM is sometimes also used figuratively, to denote a collection; in which sense, alvearium amounts to much the same with what we otherwise call the favius, cornucopia, or the like. Vinc. Boreus has published an alvearium of law.