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.

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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

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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)

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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

Explanation

A room is a space in a house or building that's usually enclosed with walls. Your favorite room in your house might be the den where the TV is, or the cozy kitchen. There's the physical area called a room, and then there's the concept of room, which can mean "space" or "opportunity." If you have room in your life for a puppy, it means you can make the time to walk it and feed it and play with it. If you have room in your bedroom for a puppy, it means you have the physical space you need for a dog bed.

Example Sentences

In the operations room, screens showed the Nasa livestream while the team listened to the capsule's radio feed.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

As the ceremony wore on, the room was as charged with celebration as it was with resistance.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

In 2014 he helped break up the so-called boiler room scams operating from Spain that tricked British people into investing in non-existent shares.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

She managed to avoid a costly trip to the emergency room.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

At last we tiptoed uncertainly out to Tante Jans’s front room.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

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