parlour

[pahr-ler]

noun

Chiefly British.

1. parlor.

parlour

/ ˈpɑːlə /

noun

1. old-fashioned,  a living room, esp one kept tidy for the reception of visitors

2. a reception room in a priest's house, convent, etc

3. a small room for guests away from the public rooms in an inn, club, etc

4. a room or shop equipped as a place of business

   a billiard parlor

5. a small shop, esp one selling cakes and nonalcoholic drinks

6. Also called: milking parlour. a building equipped for the milking of cows

Spelling Note

See -or ¹.

Word History and Origins

Origin of parlour¹

C13: from Anglo-Norman parlur, from Old French parleur room in convent for receiving guests, from parler to speak; see _parley

Example Sentences

"A lot of farms will be in similar positions having borrowed money to put up a beef shed or for a dairy parlour or to buy a combine," Mr Aveling said.

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Speaking to the BBC, the couple said they found Macie-Mae's body on the sofa at the funeral director's home, six miles away from the funeral parlour where they thought her body was being looked after.

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Legume hordes like clover pull nitrogen from the air, reducing the use of chemical fertilisers, and the milking parlour is 80-percent solar- and wind-powered.

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Reflecting on the possible reason, she said "I know I am not in the in-crowd. I don't play some of the parlour games".

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He said they picked the image off the parlour wall while drinking.

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Related Words

• drawing room 
• parlor 
• salon 
• sitting room