Word
bullpen
/ˈbʊɫˌpɛn/
Countable noun InformalBusiness
Definition
n. a large, open room where many people work at desks together. It is common in offices, newsrooms, and stock exchanges.
n. a large, open-plan workspace containing multiple desks or stations, typically used by journalists, traders, or sales staff. Originally a holding pen for baseball pitchers.
Examples
“The new office has a large, noisy bullpen.”
“She prefers the quiet of her private office to the busy bullpen.”
“The chaotic energy of the trading floor bullpen reflected the market's volatile mood that morning.”
Examples
simple
“The new office has a large, noisy bullpen.”
contextual
“She prefers the quiet of her private office to the busy bullpen.”
complex
“The chaotic energy of the trading floor bullpen reflected the market's volatile mood that morning.”
Real-World Examples
“The typewriters, called braillers, give the pressure-cooker environment the old-world feel of a postwar newspaper bullpen, with hands moving in a furious blur from one thing to the next as time ticks away.” Etymology
From bull + pen.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/bullpen