foyer
Americannoun
plural
foyers-
the lobby of a theater, hotel, or apartment house.
-
a vestibule or entrance hall in a house or apartment.
noun
-
a hall, lobby, or anteroom, used for reception and as a meeting place, as in a hotel, theatre, cinema, etc
-
(in Britain) a centre providing accommodation and employment training, etc. for homeless young people
Etymology
Origin of foyer
1855–60; < French: fireplace, hearth (originally a room to which theater audiences went for warmth between the acts) < Gallo-Latin *focārium, equivalent to Latin foc ( us ) hearth ( cf. focus) + -ārium -arium
Explanation
A foyer is a large entrance, like the foyer of a building that you enter before you reach the elevators. Sometimes a foyer is also called a "lobby." Foyer originally was a term in French that referred to the room where actors waited when they were not on stage. Today, a foyer is a large entrance to a building or home. The bigger and fancier a mansion, office or apartment building is, the bigger and more ornate the foyer will likely be. After all, the foyer will be the first room that visitors see when entering.
Vocabulary lists containing foyer
The Catcher in the Rye
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
10 Words that Inspired Taylor Swift
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "F"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Once they step inside, they are met with an elegant foyer that features a chic wooden staircase, high ceilings, and a sparkling chandelier.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026
An AFP reporter in Moscow saw two vans of Russia's Investigative Committee parked in a yard outside the offices and staff stood inside the entrance foyer.
From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026
In the foyer, beneath the Byzantine-style archway, he swept.
From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026
As guests pass through the foyer and enter Disneyland’s popular Haunted Mansion attraction, a ghoulish host delivers one last chilling message: “There’s no turning back now.”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026
Behind the door is a small windowless foyer, and down the hall are four doors with small rectangular windows about five feet up from the ground.
From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed
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.
