parlor
Americannoun
-
Older Use. a room for the reception and entertainment of visitors to one's home; living room.
-
a room, apartment, or building serving as a place of business for certain businesses or professions.
funeral parlor; beauty parlor.
-
a somewhat private room in a hotel, club, or the like for relaxation, conversation, etc.; lounge.
-
Also called locutorium. a room in a monastery or the like where the inhabitants may converse with visitors or with each other.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of parlor
1175–1225; Middle English parlur < Anglo-French; Old French parleor, equivalent to parl ( er ) to speak ( see parle) + -eor -or 2
Explanation
A parlor is a living room or a sitting room, the place in your house with comfortable chairs and sofas. You might also decide to put your giant new TV in the parlor. The noun parlor is an old-fashioned one. Still, almost anyone would know what you meant if you invited them to join you in the parlor for tea. These days, a hotel, inn, or historic house is more likely to have a parlor than a private home is. The thirteenth century version, parlur, meant "room in a monastery for holding conversations." The "conversations" part stems from parler, "to speak" in French.
Vocabulary lists containing parlor
Excerpt from "The Philosophy of Literary Form" by Kenneth Burke
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!
The Suffix -or, Part 4
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!
Louder than Hunger
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.
“When customers or analysts start thinking, ‘Gosh, AI is gonna eat software or SaaS,’ it comes from the place of seeing parlor tricks.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
There was a long-running parlor game during his father’s first term about which of the children would run for president after daddy was done.
From Salon • May 3, 2026
“We wanted to create a room where the family can congregate,” said designer Jamie Loren, describing the cozy parlor painted in the color Viridian Odyssey by Dunn-Edwards Paints.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026
It’s become a bit of a media-and-tech parlor game to try to estimate exactly what these losses are, on average.
From Slate • Apr. 14, 2026
The newly built house had three floors, at least seven rooms, and a balcony that overlooked a fine parlor.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
