spa
/spɑː/ (bre, ipa) · [spˈɑ] /spɑː/ (ame, ipa) · [spˈɑ] /ˈspä ˈspȯ/ (ame, mw)
spa — noun
- spasingular
- spasplural
1. a place where people go for treatments that improve health and relax the body, s
a place where people go for treatments that improve health and relax the body, such as massage, skin care, exercise, and healthy food.
Camila booked a weekend at a mountain spa after a stressful month at work.
The hotel spa has a sauna, a steam room, and an indoor pool.
collocation: hotel spa + list of facilities
Nikhil gave his mother a gift certificate for a full day at the spa.
Layla visits the spa every month for a massage and facial treatment.
The new city spa offers yoga classes, healthy meals, and guided meditation.
- wellness centre
broader term that may include medical check-ups; more formal
- health club
focuses on exercise equipment and fitness rather than beauty treatments
- beauty salon
covers only cosmetic treatments like haircuts and nails, not fitness or relaxation
- day spa
a spa you visit for a few hours rather than staying overnight
文法句型
spa + noun (e.g. spa treatment)
用法筆記
This is the most common modern meaning of 'spa'. In Taiwan the term 水療中心 (shuǐliáo zhōngxīn) is often used, though the English loanword 'spa' is also widely understood. Subject is frequently a commercial establishment or hotel facility.
常見錯誤
2. a large bathtub or hot tub with water jets that circulate the water, used for re
a large bathtub or hot tub with water jets that circulate the water, used for relaxation or soothing sore muscles.
Sven bought a portable spa for his balcony to soak in after morning runs.
collocation: portable spa
The hotel suite has a private spa with powerful water jets.
Hao spent the evening soaking in the warm spa on his patio.
After her run, Zuri used the spa jets to soothe her tired legs.
- hot tub
more common in North America; usually wooden and outdoors
- whirlpool bath
more formal, describes the mechanism
- jacuzzi
trademarked brand name used generically in informal contexts
用法筆記
This sense refers to the physical tub itself, not the facility. In everyday speech, 'jacuzzi' (a trademarked brand) is sometimes used generically for any whirlpool bath, but careful writers prefer 'spa' or 'hot tub'. Distinguish from sense 1: a 'hotel spa' is a facility with services; a 'spa in the hotel room' is a bathtub.
常見錯誤
❌ 'The hotel room has a spa' (when you mean a wellness facility) — This can confuse sense 1 and sense 2. If you mean a bathtub, say 'a spa bath' or 'a whirlpool bath'.
3. a town that has natural mineral springs where people go to drink or bathe, belie
a town that has natural mineral springs where people go to drink or bathe, believing the water improves their health.
The Belgian town of Spa gave its name to spa towns across Europe.
collocation: spa town
Mayumi compared Bath and Baden-Baden in a report about European spa towns.
The old spa town still has public bathhouses where people drink spring water.
For centuries, visitors have gone to Bath to bathe in its mineral springs.
- health resort
broader term that may include medical facilities, not just springs
- thermal resort
specifically focuses on hot-spring locations
- watering place
dated, historical term for spa towns in 18th–19th century Britain
文法句型
spa + noun (e.g. spa town, spa resort)
用法筆記
This is the original historical sense of the word. The proper noun 'Spa' (the Belgian town) remains capitalised; when used as a common noun it is lower-case. Distinguish from sense 1 (a modern wellness facility) by looking for references to natural springs rather than services like massages or fitness classes.