alcove

American  

[al-kohv] / ˈæl koʊv /

noun

• alcoves
  plural

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.

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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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• alcoves
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of alcove

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

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

alcove alcoves

From quick reels on how to fix cracks in walls, to complicated YouTube tutorials on building alcove seating from scratch, the internet is chock-a-block with seemingly endless home improvement demos.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

While most retailers rely on foot traffic and display windows, Zaggle has built an international following out of a rock alcove tucked down a flight of cliff-side steps.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

What I didn’t mention was that I ate the first quarter of my bowl standing up, at the bar top between my kitchen and the little alcove where our two-person table sits.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

It was a hunch that took her six years to see to fruition, but the library’s very own “Mold-a-Central” now sits in the alcove of the lower fourth floor.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

I quickly ducked into the alcove entrance of the nearest building, my heart racing.

From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson

A piped-in soundtrack simulates urban din, and latticed wood alcoves emulate storefronts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 7, 2026

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 ● Dec. 2, 2025

My summers were spent oscillating between New Jersey beaches and the blast-chilled alcoves of my local library, reading about tornadoes, Greek mythology and Count Olaf.

From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2023

Set in a garden among plum and kiwi trees, the cottage has traditional tatami mats, shoji-paper and fusuma sliding doors, chunky wooden cabinets and tokonoma alcoves.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 18, 2023

Ella wished she could shrink herself down and peek into the tiny alcoves.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

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Related Words

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