Word
living room
Definition
compound. The main room in a house where people relax, watch TV, and spend time together.
compound. A room in a private residence intended for general social and leisure activities.
Examples
“We watch TV in the living room.”
“After dinner, the family gathered in the living room to play a board game.”
“The architect designed the house so the kitchen flowed seamlessly into a spacious, light-filled living room.”
Examples
simple
“We watch TV in the living room.”
contextual
“After dinner, the family gathered in the living room to play a board game.”
complex
“The architect designed the house so the kitchen flowed seamlessly into a spacious, light-filled living room.”
Usage
Often used interchangeably with 'lounge' in British English or 'front room' in some regions.
Teaching tip
Contrast with 'sitting room' (more traditional/formal) and 'family room' (often a more casual, secondary space for entertainment).
Pitfall
We are in the livingroom.
We are in the living room.
This compound noun is standardly written as two separate words, not one.
Etymology
Doublet of Lebensraum.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.