armoire
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of armoire
First recorded in 1565–75; from Middle French; Old French blend of armaire and aumoire; see aumbry
Explanation
An armoire is a kind of wardrobe or freestanding closet. You can hang your clothes on hangers in an armoire, or put your folded sweaters on its shelves. These days, most armoires are antiques, tall movable cabinets made of wood that hold clothing. It was once less common for houses to be built with closets, and armoires gave people a place to store things out of sight. Armoire is a French word, from the Old French armarie, "cupboard or bookcase," with its Latin root armarium, "closet for storing implements or tools."
Vocabulary lists containing armoire
The Ottoman Empire: Furniture Words
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Unit 4: Powerful Openings
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Warriors Don't Cry
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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.
Soon after, Greene’s work filled nearly every room of his former Rancho Palos Verdes home: lamps, shelves, an altar, an armoire adorned with a lotus flower.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 21, 2025
When there isn’t one built in, designer Lauren Caron of Studio Laloc says she and her team often create a free-standing closet with an antique armoire.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 19, 2024
This Instagrammer uses an armoire in the hallway to store sheets, and we love that the see-through doors give you a peek at all the pretty patterns inside.
From Salon • Aug. 6, 2022
The bathroom armoire — which could hold the bedding of a smallish boutique hotel — is a lesson in decluttering.
From New York Times • Jun. 2, 2022
The armoire looks like a military shell went through it.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
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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.