waiting room

American  

[wey-ting room, room] / ˈweɪ tɪŋ ˌrum, ˌrʊm /

noun

1. a room for the use of persons waiting, as in a railroad station or a physician's office.

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waiting room British  

noun

1. a room in which people may wait, as at a railway station, doctor's or dentist's office, etc

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Etymology

Origin of waiting room

First recorded in 1675–85

Example Sentences

Managing the background actors in the waiting room is a full-time job, handled primarily by crew member Nicole Jones.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Or you might enter directly from the street into an office, without the pacifying liminal space of a waiting room.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

She had to queue online in February; in a virtual waiting room, she learned she was 10,000th in line.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

In other words, nearly one in five people spending long hours stuck on a corridor, waiting room, or a bay, with no idea of when it was going to end.

From BBC • Mar. 2, 2026

Florida was in the hospital waiting room, wrapped in a blanket.

From "Ruby Holler" by Sharon Creech

Related Words

• foyer
• reception room
• vestibule