coffeehouse

[kaw-fee-hous, kof-ee-]

noun

plural

coffeehouses 

1. a public place that specializes in serving coffee and other refreshments and that sometimes provides informal entertainment.

2. (in 17th- and 18th-century England) a similar establishment where groups met for a particular purpose, as for informal discussions or card playing.

verb (used without object)

coffeehoused, coffeehousing 

1. Informal.,  to engage in aimless talk or chitchat.

2. Cards.,  to make remarks and gestures during play with the purpose of misleading opponents as to the cards one holds.

Other Word Forms

• coffeehouser noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of coffeehouse¹

First recorded in 1605–15; coffee + house

Example Sentences

Starbucks helped spread coffeehouse culture across the U.S. starting in the 1980s, introducing many Americans to dark-roasted coffee served in a cafe setting.

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I just gave you an all-American spot and a Japanese coffeehouse after leaving a very diverse church.

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“Our coffeehouses are centers of the community, and closing any location is difficult,” Niccol said in the message to employees.

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There would be an acre of garden space for tenants atop a five-level garage and a music recording studio at street level, where there would also be a restaurant and perhaps a coffeehouse.

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Starbucks will enter the Olympic arena for the first time by providing specially designed coffeehouses in the Olympic and Paralympic village, competition venues and volunteer hubs for athletes, fans and spectators.

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Related Words

• coffee bar