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
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
On the way home, on Hillhurst near Franklin, we’ll stop at Alcove Cafe and Bakery, which has the best gluten-free carrot cake you could ever put near your face.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 5, 2025
We moved on to the North Quadrant, or Breathing Alcove, dedicated to transforming envy.
From New York Times • Oct. 21, 2021
She chose the latter, converting the freewheeling Brazilian ambience of Tempero into the coolly contemporary Alcove Dining Room, which doubled as a private event space.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 1, 2021
Other spaces include The Race Track, which documents the speed-demon culture; Sidecar Alcove, which gives a nod to three-wheeling; and finally The Custom Shop, which features one-of-a kind bikes created by noted moto designers.
From Washington Times • Mar. 19, 2018
And at all events there had been that hour in the King's Alcove.
From Romance Island by Gale, Zona
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.
