alcove
Americannoun
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a recess or small room adjacent to or opening out of a room.
a dining alcove.
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a recess in a room for a bed, bookcases, or the like.
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any recessed space, as a bower in a garden.
noun
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a recess or niche in the wall of a room, as for a bed, books, etc
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any recessed usually vaulted area, as in a garden wall
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any covered or secluded spot, such as a summerhouse
Etymology
Origin of alcove
1670–80; < French alcôve < Spanish alcoba < Arabic al-qubbah the dome
Explanation
Chapels in churches are often alcoves. Picture one set off to the side with a vaulted ceiling, separated by pillars and a small railing. See that and you see an alcove, defined. If your bed is in an alcove in a studio apartment, it is in a recessed area of the room, separated by an arch or a half wall but not by a door. Think of an alcove as a sidecar to a room or even a cave. It's a separate smaller area that is still attached, but feels cozy because it is partially enclosed.
Vocabulary lists containing alcove
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The kitchen is complemented by a breakfast alcove that is nestled into a windowed nook overlooking the back porch and the swimming pool.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026
Throughout those months, he got to know the guy who frequented his alcove, the one Ed had warned him about.
From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026
An alcove devoted to gay rights displays an early version of the rainbow flag, campaign and protest buttons, and a ceiling fragment from the Stonewall Inn, where a 1969 uprising launched the gay liberation movement.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025
The Los Angeles Fire Department said it was trying to rescue someone who was stuck on a concrete alcove along the Los Angeles River in Boyle Heights.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2025
Great dark wings were spreading out from the alcove.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
