alcove

American  

[al-kohv] / ˈæl koʊv /

noun

1. a recess or small room adjacent to or opening out of a room.

   a dining alcove.

2. a recess in a room for a bed, bookcases, or the like.

3. any recessed space, as a bower in a garden.

---

alcove British  

/ ˈælkəʊv /

noun

1. a recess or niche in the wall of a room, as for a bed, books, etc

2. any recessed usually vaulted area, as in a garden wall

3. any covered or secluded spot, such as a summerhouse

---

Etymology

Origin of alcove

1670–80; < French alcôve < Spanish alcoba < Arabic al-qubbah the dome

Example Sentences

Aunt Kitty and I tucked into an alcove behind an enormous statue of Lady Justice while Detective Webster hid himself behind a flag.

From Literature

Cubicles and alcoves don’t eliminate teamwork, but simply give employees a dedicated space to concentrate, recharge and hold quiet conversations without disrupting others.

From The Wall Street Journal

And if one is too shy to bring out their inner artist, they can hang with a spiced wine in the dining alcove.

From Los Angeles Times

Outside the San Bernardino County Government Center, there’s now a Curtain of Courage — 14 bronze alcoves, each curved like a protective wall and dedicated to one of the victims.

From Los Angeles Times

“Deputies were positioned less than ten feet away in the narrow alcove outside the restroom and issued verbal commands.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• compartment
• cubicle