Etymology : Middle English parlour, from Old French, from parler
Pronunciation : 'pär-l&r
Function : noun
Date : 13th century
1. sitting room, living room; guest room; lounge, salon. parlor\par"lor\ , n. [oe. parlour, parlur, f. parloir, ll. parlatorium. see:
parley.] [written also parlour.] a room for business or social conversation, for the reception of guests, etc. specifically: (a) the apartment in a monastery or nunnery where the inmates are permitted to meet and converse with each other, or with visitors and friends from without. (b) in large private houses, a sitting room for the family and for familiar guests, -- a room for less formal uses than the drawing-room. esp., in modern times, the dining room of a house having few apartments, as a london house, where the dining parlor is usually on the ground floor. (c) commonly, in the united states, a drawing-room, or the room where visitors are received and entertained.note: "in england people who have a drawing-room no longer call it a parlor, as they called it of old and till recently." hall.parlor car. see:
palace car, under car.parlor n.
2. reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received [syn: parlour].
3. a room in a private house or establishment where people can sit and talk and relax [syn: living room, livingroom, sitting room, front room, parlour].
4. A room for business or social conversation, for the reception of guests, etc.
5. The apartment in a monastery or nunnery where the inmates are permitted to meet and converse with each other, or with visitors and friends from without.
6. In large private houses, a sitting room for the family and for familiar guests, a room for less formal uses than the drawing-room.
7. Esp., in modern times, the dining room of a house having few apartments, as a London house, where the dining parlor is usually on the ground floor.
8. Commonly, in the United States, a drawing- room, or the room where visitors are received and entertained. reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received.
9. the American spelling of parlour (parlour, from parler; PARLEY).