drawing room

noun

1. a formal reception room, especially in an apartment or private house.
2. (in a railroad car) a private room for two or three passengers.
3. British. a formal reception, especially at court.

drawing room

noun

1. a room where visitors are received and entertained; living room; sitting room
2. archaic.
   a ceremonial or formal reception, esp at court

Other Words From

• drawing-room adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of drawing room¹

First recorded in 1635–45; as shortening of now obsolete withdrawing room

Example Sentences

Toward the end of the hour-long song, as the chorus repeats, each performer leaves the room they are in to gather downstairs in the drawing room.

From Washington Post

A moment ago the drawing-room had seemed empty; Mrs. Luke, in her sole person, filled and illuminated it.

From The Daily Beast

He struck me as being something of a drawing-room Communist and I doubt whether he had talks of any importance with the Chinese.

From The Daily Beast

In the gloomy drawing room were oil paintings of old generals and one of Princess Diana, painted in the 1980s.

From The Daily Beast

Each one—from the drawing room to the cellar—contains dozens, if not hundreds, of cavernous metaphorical rooms.

From The Daily Beast

We sat in the drawing room for close to half an hour, waiting.

From The Daily Beast

In the drawing-room things went on much as they always do in country drawing-rooms in the hot weather.

From Project Gutenberg

When they rose from table and went back into her little drawing-room, she left her daughter alone for awhile with Bernard.

From Project Gutenberg

Haggard and his wife sat in the little drawing-room of their bijou house in May Fair.

From Project Gutenberg

The regulation chairs and tables of the furnished house had been banished from Mrs. Haggard's drawing-room.

From Project Gutenberg

The lazy giant was sprawling on the most comfortable of the sofas; the pair were alone in the dainty little drawing-room.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• parlor
• reception room