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Synonyms

parking lot

American  

noun

  1. an area, usually divided into individual spaces, intended for parking motor vehicles.

parking lot British  

noun

  1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): car park.  an area or building reserved for parking cars

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of parking lot

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25

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.

After most appointments, my mom would pull her van into the Starbucks parking lot in the shopping center next door.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

The deadly explosion in a sheriff’s facility parking lot sent shock waves through law enforcement agencies nationwide, and has triggered multiple criminal investigations.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

The roughly 16,000-square-foot establishment is a beloved gathering spot for bikers, especially on weekends, when motorcycles in the parking lot usually outnumber cars.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

Some people, like Jeremy, who was camping in the nearby Firestone Tire parking lot, just hung out during the day; others slept over.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

I watch the last car pull out of the parking lot, and the darkening sky.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

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.