salon

American  

[suh-lon, sa-lawn] / səˈlɒn, saˈlɔ̃ /

noun

• salons
  plural

1. a drawing room or reception room in a large house.

2. an assembly of guests in such a room, especially an assembly, common during the 17th and 18th centuries, consisting of the leaders in society, art, politics, etc.

3. a hall or place used for the exhibition of works of art.

4. a shop, business, or department of a store offering a specific product or service related to fashion, hairdressing, or beauty.

   a bridal salon;

   a hair salon;

   a beauty salon.

5. (initial capital letter) (in France)

   1. the Salon, an annual exhibition of works of art by living artists, originally held at the Salon d'Apollon: it became, during the 19th century, the focal point of artistic controversy and was identified with academicism and official hostility to progress in art.

   2. a national exhibition of works of art by living artists.

      Salon des Refusés; Salon des Indépendants.

---

salon British  

/ ˈsælɒn /

noun

1. a room in a large house in which guests are received

2. an assembly of guests in a fashionable household, esp a gathering of major literary, artistic, and political figures from the 17th to the early 20th centuries

3. a commercial establishment in which hairdressers, beauticians, etc, carry on their businesses

   beauty salon

4. 1. a hall for exhibiting works of art

   2. such an exhibition, esp one showing the work of living artists

---

salon Cultural  

1. A periodic gathering of persons noted in literature, philosophy, the fine arts, or similar areas, held at one person's home. Salons thrived in the Enlightenment.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• salons
  plural

Etymology

Origin of salon

First recorded in 1705–15; from French, from Italian salone, equivalent to sal(a) “hall” (from Germanic; compare Old English sæl, Old Saxon seli, German Saal, Old Norse salr ) + -one augmentative suffix

Explanation

Use the noun salon when you talk about the place you get your hair cut. A salon is a good place to get a perm or highlights, to get your nails painted, or just to get a trim. A salon is like a barber shop, only fancier. Most salons offer all kinds of beauty treatments in addition to haircuts, like hair styling and coloring, facials, and massages. Another kind of salon is a formal living room — if you invited guests for tea, you might sit and sip it in your salon. The word salon is French, originally meaning "reception room." In 1800's France, the meaning grew to include a "gathering of elegant people" occurring regularly in such a room.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

salon salons

The look has become so hyped some have gone full circle, booking in salon appointments to mimic it.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026

In 2024, Ffion decided to become self-employed, renting a room at a beauty salon and chose to treat both men and women, seeing it as a niche in the town.

From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026

In 1989, Parton returned to the big screen in Herbert Ross’ “Steel Magnolias,” in which her straight-talking small-town salon owner, Truvy Jones, was the firm-hold hairspray uniting an unforgettable array of Southern belles.

From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026

She said she is also being paid by a local nail salon and waxing parlor—to the tune of $600 per post—for promotions related to her nuptials.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

I kept going back to the salon every week, spending hours at a time getting my hair straightened and corn-rowed.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah

Her story has become a focal point in a growing debate about Britain's booming aesthetics industry, where cosmetic injectables are now available everywhere, from High Street beauty salons to rented office spaces and hotel rooms.

From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026

"You can walk into beauty salons across the country and have Botox the same day without ever having a proper consultation with a prescriber," says Collins.

From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026

By his senior year, he had agreements with roughly 350 salons and was clearing $25,000 to $30,000 a month.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2026

He often said his work in a jail as young man gave him a different point of view from the salons of Washington, D.C., about rising from the streets.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

Ear, Eye and Arm passed health spas, vegetable markets, a junior college, beauty salons and libraries, although only Ear appreciated the view.

From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer

Related Words

• gallery
• hall
• parlor
• room
• shop
• showroom