room

American  

[room, room] / rum, rʊm /

noun

1. a portion of space within a building or other structure, separated by walls or partitions from other parts.

   a dining room.

2. rooms, lodgings or quarters, as in a house or building.

3. the persons present in a room.

   The whole room laughed.

4. space or extent of space occupied by or available for something.

   The desk takes up too much room.

5. opportunity or scope for something.

   room for improvement; room for doubt.

   Synonyms:

   allowance, margin, provision

6. status or a station in life considered as a place.

   He fought for room at the top.

7. capacity.

   Her brain had no room for trivia.

8. Mining. a working area cut between pillars.

---

verb (used without object)

1. to occupy a room or rooms; lodge.

room British  

/ ruːm, rʊm /

noun

1. space or extent, esp unoccupied or unobstructed space for a particular purpose

   is there room to pass?

2. an area within a building enclosed by a floor, a ceiling, and walls or partitions

   sitting room

   dining room

3. (functioning as singular or plural) the people present in a room

   the whole room was laughing

4. (foll by for) opportunity or scope

   room for manoeuvre

5. (plural) a part of a house, hotel, etc, that is rented out as separate accommodation; lodgings

   she got rooms in town

6. a euphemistic word for lavatory

---

verb

1. (intr) to occupy or share a room or lodging

   where does he room?

room Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing room

• not enough room to swing a cat
• take up space (room)

---

Other Word Forms

• roomer noun
• underroom noun

Etymology

Origin of room

First recorded before 900; Middle English roum(e), Old English rūm; cognate with Dutch ruim, German Raum

Example Sentences

She remained calm and spoke to him in an effort to de-escalate the situation until other family members came into the room and demanded he leave.

From Los Angeles Times

How much room does he have to maneuver?

From The Wall Street Journal

The team behind it rebuilt Miley Stewart’s living room and rotating closet, with actual outfits from the show that Cyrus had kept in storage.

From Los Angeles Times

Ian Lewer, who was at the speech with his wife, told the Record: "At the time I thought it pretty awful and indeed that was the feeling in the room."

From BBC

Someone dies, and then their friends and family, appropriately dressed in black, gather in a stately room while an elderly lawyer reads a list of who gets what.

From Salon

Related Words

• accommodation
• apartment
• cabin
• cave
• chamber
• cubicle
• den
• lodging
• office
• suite