vestibule

IPA/ˈvestɪbjuːl/
KK[vˈɛstɪbjˌul]IPA/ˈvestɪbjuːl/

vestibule — noun

  • vestibulesingular
  • vestibulesplural

1. A small lobby area located just past a building main entrance, where visitors ca

1.名詞B1
釋義

A small lobby area located just past a building main entrance, where visitors can pause, store coats, or wait.

例句

Theo waited for his friends in the museum vestibule before the tour began.

common context: museum / public building

A marble bench stood in the vestibule of the Grand Theater for visitors to rest.

common collocation: vestibule + of + [building]

同義詞
  • lobby

    usually larger and found in hotels, offices, or apartment buildings; a lobby often has seating and a reception desk

  • foyer

    slightly more formal and often refers to the entrance area of a theater or concert hall

  • entrance hall

    a neutral term for any hall at the entrance of a building; less specific than vestibule

常見錯誤

❌I left my coat in the lobby of the small church.
✅I left my coat in the vestibule of the small church.
💡A lobby is usually a larger open area in a hotel or office building; a vestibule is a smaller entrance room often found in older or public buildings.

2. A small roofed area built at the front door of a house, used as a sheltered spac

2.名詞B2
釋義

A small roofed area built at the front door of a house, used as a sheltered space between the outside and the main entrance.

例句

Amara stepped into the small vestibule of the cottage to take off her wet boots.

sheltered space between outdoors and interior

The old farmhouse had a glass vestibule that protected the front door from the wind.

collocation: glass vestibule

同義詞
  • porch

    a more common word; a porch is often open on the sides, while a vestibule is enclosed

  • entryway

    common in American English for any entrance area, including a covered one

用法筆記

This sense is mainly used in British English to describe a sheltered nook built beside a house's main door. In American English, 'porch' or 'entryway' is more common for the same feature.

3. A small hollow space inside the body that forms the entry point to a deeper orga

3.名詞C1
釋義

A small hollow space inside the body that forms the entry point to a deeper organ or passage, such as the cavity at the front of the nose or the inner ear.

例句

The nasal vestibule is the front part of the nose just inside the nostrils.

anatomical term: nasal vestibule

An infection in the ear vestibule can affect a person's sense of balance.

同義詞
  • cavity

    a more general term for any hollow space inside the body; less specific than vestibule

  • antrum

    a technical term for a cavity in a bone; used in different anatomical contexts

用法筆記

This is a technical medical term. You are most likely to encounter it in textbooks, medical reports, or discussions of ear / nose / throat anatomy. In everyday conversation, speakers do not use 'vestibule' for body parts — they say 'the front of the nose' or 'the entrance of the ear canal' instead.

常見錯誤

❌The nasal vestibule is the outside of the nose.
✅The nasal vestibule is the area just inside the nostrils.
💡'Vestibule' always refers to an inner cavity or entrance space, not the outer surface.

4. An enclosed entrance platform at both ends of a train car, giving passengers acc

4.名詞B2
釋義

An enclosed entrance platform at both ends of a train car, giving passengers access to board or move between carriages.

例句

Passengers gathered in the vestibule of the carriage waiting for the doors to open.

railway context: carriage vestibule

The train vestibule connects each carriage, so people can walk to the dining car.

同義詞
  • end platform

    a more modern term for the same area on a train carriage

  • doorway

    too general; a doorway is just the opening, not the enclosed platform area

用法筆記

This sense is found mainly in British railway terminology and in older railway carriages. Modern trains often use the term 'end platform' or simply 'door area'.