living room

American  

noun

1. a room in a home used, especially by a family, for leisure activities, entertaining guests, etc.; parlor.

2. Lebensraum.

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living room British  

noun

1. a room in a private house or flat used for relaxation and entertainment of guests

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Etymology

Origin of living room

First recorded in 1815–25

Compare meaning

How does living-room compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• great room vs. living room

Example Sentences

She displayed “Poppy,” a squeegee abstract in cheery red and blue hues, in her living room, with an untitled version in subtler white and green hues from 2009 hanging in her bedroom.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Perhaps Farr’s favorite space, and the room she’ll miss most, is the living room she meticulously made over.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

“The house also had two kinds of living rooms: one we call the library living room because I built the library in there out of oak wood,” she adds.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

"Sometimes I'll put my decks on my living room table and just do a little set for my friends."

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

It was like walking through a playhouse; we passed a deserted living room with a settee beside a fireplace, then a fake patio, then an artist’s loft.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Related Words

• drawing room
• parlor
• salon
• sitting room