dining-room

IPA/ˈdaɪnɪŋ ruːm/
IPA/ˈdaɪnɪŋ ruːm/

dining-room — noun

1. a separate space inside a house or public building where people sit at a table t

1.nounA2
Definition

a separate space inside a house or public building where people sit at a table to eat food.

Example

The Wang family ate dinner together in the dining room every evening.

typical use: family eating together

Mei-Lin set the dining room table with plates, glasses, and cloth napkins.

collocation: dining room table

Common collocations
  • dining room table
  • dining room chair
  • dining room set
  • formal dining room
  • dining room furniture
  • eat in the dining room
  • set the dining room
  • dining room wall
Synonyms
  • dining area

    less formal; can refer to a section of a larger room rather than a separate room

  • eating area

    more general; can describe a space in a cafeteria or kitchen

  • breakfast nook

    a small, casual dining corner, often with benches, not a full room

Grammar Patterns

a/the dining room

dining room + noun

Usage Note

Frequently used with a possessive (our dining room, their dining room) or in compound noun phrases (dining room table, dining room chair, dining room set). In modern homes, open-plan layouts sometimes combine the dining room with the kitchen or living room.

Common Mistakes

Note: 'I left my bag on the dinner table.' — While 'dinner table' is common in casual speech, 'dining room table' is preferred in formal writing.

We ate in the dinner room.
We ate in the dining room.
The room is called a 'dining room', not a 'dinner room'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A 'dining room' is a dedicated room for eating meals, typically furnished with a table and chairs. A 'kitchen' is where food is cooked and prepared, though many modern kitchens include an eating area. A 'living room' (also called a 'sitting room' or 'lounge') is a general space for relaxing, watching television, and entertaining guests, not for eating formal meals. A 'family room' is similar to a living room but tends to be more casual and often located near the kitchen. A 'breakfast nook' is a small, informal corner or alcove with a table and benches, used for quick or casual meals. For example: 'The dinner party was held in the formal dining room, while the children ate pizza at the breakfast nook.'

dining roomkitchen ↗living roomfamily roombreakfast nook

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • dining room table
  • dining room chair
  • dining room set
  • dining room furniture
  • formal dining room
  • open-plan dining room
  • separate dining room
  • dining room light

Prepositions

Etymology

Vulgar LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishModern English

'Dining-room' is a compound noun formed from 'dining' (the gerund of the verb 'dine', meaning to eat a meal) and 'room' (a space within a building). The word 'dine' entered English through Old French 'disner' (to break one's fast, later to eat the main meal of the day), which itself came from Vulgar Latin 'disiūnāre', based on Latin 'ieiūnus' (fasting). The compound 'dining-room' first appeared in English in the 16th century as homes began to include a separate room specifically for eating.

First known use

1576

1576, in the meaning defined above