saloon

noun

sa·​loon sə-ˈlün 

1

a

chiefly British : salon sense 1

b

chiefly British : an often elaborately decorated public hall

c(1)

: a usually large public cabin on a ship (as for dining)

(2)

: the living area on a yacht

d

chiefly British : salon sense 4

e

: barroom

2

: salon sense 2

3

British

a

: parlor car

b

: sedan sense 2a

called also saloon car

Synonyms

• bar
• barroom
• café
• cafe
• cantina [Southwest]
• dramshop
• gin mill
• grogshop [chiefly British]
• pub
• public house [chiefly British]
• taproom
• tavern
• watering hole
• watering place

Examples of saloon in a Sentence

cowboys drinking in the saloon after their work was done for the day

Recent Examples on the Web

Opened in 1963 by Ford of Britain to build the Anglia (the small family saloon starred as the flying car in the Harry Potter series), plans to transform the plant began in late 2020. —Alex Christian, WIRED, 8 Dec. 2024

The other standout involves a saloon that is located at 1567 University Ave. —Molly Guthrey, Twin Cities, 2 Dec. 2024

Victoria picked up gigs all over Central Texas — saloons, coffee houses, and even the historic Victory Grill in East Austin, with her band, Victoria & Zeta Five. —Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 24 Nov. 2024

The main deck dining area in the main saloon is served by a full galley with generous work spaces, double oven, grill, stovetop hobs, double sink, spacious refrigeration, and ample storage. —Kathleen Turner, Forbes, 21 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French salon, from Italian salone, augmentative of sala hall, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German sal hall; akin to Lithuanian sala village

First Known Use

1728, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

saloon

noun

sa·​loon sə-ˈlün 

1

: a public room for socializing especially on a ship

2

: barroom