cloakroom

IPA/ˈkləʊkruːm/
KK[klˈokrˌum]IPA/ˈkləʊkruːm/

cloakroom — noun

  • cloakroomsingular
  • cloakroomsplural

1. A space in public venues such as theatres and restaurants where visitors tempora

1.nounB1
Definition

A space in public venues such as theatres and restaurants where visitors temporarily keep their coats and personal belongings.

Example

Theo collected his coat from the cloakroom after the concert ended.

collocation: collect + from + cloakroom

Aiko left her backpack at the museum cloakroom before entering the gallery.

collocation: leave + at + cloakroom

Common collocations
  • leave something at the cloakroom
  • collect something from the cloakroom
  • cloakroom attendant
  • cloakroom ticket
  • hand something to the cloakroom attendant
Synonyms
  • checkroom

    American English term for the same facility

  • coat check

    refers to the service counter rather than the room itself

  • coatroom

    less common, sometimes used for smaller storage areas

Grammar Patterns

usually singular

Usage Note

More common in British English than American English; US speakers typically say 'checkroom' or 'coat check'. The cloakroom is usually staffed, unlike a simple coat rack or wardrobe.

Common Mistakes

I hung my coat in my hotel room's cloakroom.
I left my coat at the hotel cloakroom.
A cloakroom is a shared public facility, not a private closet in a hotel room.

2. A polite term for a toilet or restroom, commonly used in public buildings and fo

2.nounB2
Definition

A polite term for a toilet or restroom, commonly used in public buildings and formal settings.

Example

Yara asked the receptionist if there was a cloakroom she could use.

euphemism: 'cloakroom' as polite alternative to 'toilet'

A sign near the café read 'Cloakroom' with an arrow pointing downstairs.

signage: 'Cloakroom' on signs indicates a public toilet

Common collocations
  • ask for the cloakroom
  • the ladies' cloakroom
  • the gents' cloakroom
  • cloakroom facilities
  • use the cloakroom
Synonyms
  • restroom

    American English; equally polite, less formal

  • washroom

    Canadian English polite term

  • lavatory

    more formal, slightly dated in British English

Grammar Patterns

usually singular

Usage Note

Polite euphemism comparable to 'restroom' in American English or 'washroom' in Canadian English. Most often encountered on signs in British theatres, restaurants, pubs, and museums. The staffed storage area (sense 1) and the toilet are sometimes in the same location, which is how the euphemistic meaning developed.

Common Mistakes

The hotel cloakroom had a broken lock and no attendant.' (when meaning a toilet).
The hotel cloakroom on the ground floor was being cleaned.
Context usually makes the meaning clear: if the sentence describes a facility being cleaned or asked about, it likely refers to a toilet.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These three terms all refer to the same basic service — a place to store outerwear — but they differ in region, scale, and context. 'Checkroom' is the standard American English term for a staffed storage room, common in US theatres, museums, and train stations. 'Coat check' often refers to the service counter or the act of checking a coat rather than the physical room; it is also used in event contexts ("there will be a coat check at the door"). 'Coatroom' is an informal, less frequent alternative that may describe a small unstaffed room or closet rather than a full service facility. In British English, 'cloakroom' remains the dominant term. Example: "The cloakroom was crowded after the show, but the checkroom at the New York theatre had almost no queue."

checkroom ↗coat checkcoatroom ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • cloakroom attendant
  • cloakroom ticket

Prepositions

  • at the cloakroom
  • from the cloakroom

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

A compound of 'cloak' (from Old French 'cloque', a bell-shaped outer garment) and 'room'. The word first appeared in the mid-18th century, when theatres and other public venues set aside a dedicated space where patrons could store their cloaks and coats during performances. By the late 19th century, the term had also acquired a euphemistic meaning for 'toilet', since the cloakroom and toilet were sometimes located in the same area.