cubicle

noun

cu·​bi·​cle ˈkyü-bi-kəl 

1

: a sleeping compartment partitioned off from a large room

2

a

: a small partitioned space

especially : one with a desk used for work in a business office

b

: carrel

Synonyms

• bay
• cabin
• cell
• chamber
• compartment
• cube

Examples of cubicle in a Sentence

data entry clerks busily typing in cubicles

Recent Examples on the Web

TikTok came with the good (raising money for people down on their luck, sharing a few laughs with cubicle comedians or finding solace in grief), the bad (glorifying school shooters ) and the ugly (amplifying white supremacy). —Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 19 Jan. 2025

The pop-up featured a real-life cubicle from the iconic office space of Apple’s show, which returns with season two on Friday. —Zoe G. Phillips, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Jan. 2025

Those of us who’ve rotted in cubicles may take a perverse pleasure in the towers of keyboards that refuse to rot. —Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025

Four gargantuan tents were carved up into a maze of cubicles with cots, divided by seven-foot-high partitions meant to offer a measure of privacy for 500 families. —Luis Ferré-Sadurní, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin cubiculum, from cubare to lie, recline

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cubicle

• cubical

Kids Definition

cubicle

noun

cu·​bi·​cle ˈkyü-bi-kəl 

: a small separate space (as for sleeping, studying, or working) usually having removable partitions