waiting room

American  

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

noun

• waiting rooms
  plural

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

---

waiting room British  

noun

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

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• waiting rooms
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of waiting room

First recorded in 1675–85

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

waiting room

"It's amazing, you literally can't see I had a large cancerous lesion removed from my cheek," she tells the BBC in the waiting room.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

An unholy mashup of a waiting room and a bus, the people mover is slow, uncomfortable, and offensive to the eye.

From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026

One hospital had rooms that were so hot patients needed to be moved to an air-conditioned waiting room, Reuters reported.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

Sitting in the waiting room, mentally preparing for an MRI, Maxine opens a browser and searches, “BREAST CANCER.”

From Salon ● Jun. 29, 2026

Once the money was handled, they took seats in the hard plastic chairs that made up the waiting room.

From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• foyer
• reception room
• vestibule

---