ENGLISH
REFERENCE

living room

compound.
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.


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.

Origin

Doublet of Lebensraum.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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.

Last updated April 24, 2026