ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tə hɪstˈoːɹiən , ðə tˈɜːm "kˈæɾɐkˌoʊmz" ænd ɪts dᵻɹˈɪvətˌɪvz wɜːɹ ɐ lˈoʊkəl pˈɛtɹəɡɹˌæd slˈæʃ lˈɛnɪŋɡɹˌæd niːˈoʊlədʒˌɪzəm, wˌɛɹ ðɛɹwˌɜː mˈɛni ˈæktɪv tʃˈɜːtʃ ˌɪntəlˈɛktʃuːəlz hˌuː kʊd ɐpɹˈiːʃɪˌeɪt ðə daɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv mˈiːnɪŋz ɐsˈoʊsɪˌeɪɾᵻd wɪð ðɪs wˈɜːd.
According to historian , the term "catacombs" and its derivatives were a local Petrograd/Leningrad neologism, where there were many active church intellectuals who could appreciate the diversity of meanings associated with this word.