room

[room, room]

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

/ 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?

Other Word Forms

• underroom noun
• roomer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of room¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of room¹

Old English rūm ; related to Gothic, Old High German rūm

Idioms and Phrases

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

Example Sentences

Under the right pressure conditions, ice can form at room temperature or even at temperatures higher than its usual boiling point.

Read more on Science Daily

Corporate offices adapted by adding break rooms and creating spaces for informal meetings and discussions.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

I watched Itoje walk down the tunnel with the referee at half-time, and he was having a very mature, informative conversation all the way back into the changing room.

Read more on BBC

Lyness, 69, who works as a project manager at USC, said the two buildings don’t have anywhere near the room to store so many full-size cans — and don’t generate enough organic waste to fill them.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Eight months ago the bin room in his apartment building in Tower Hamlets was closed at the request of the local council.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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