# cabin

/ˈkæbən/ (US) · /kˈæbɪn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cabin
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. small wooden house

noun · CEFR B1

a small, simple house, often built of wood and located in a forest or mountain area.

For teachers: a small, rustic dwelling, typically constructed from logs or timber and situated in a remote or rural setting.

- We spent the weekend at a cozy wooden cabin in the mountains.
- The family retreated to their lakeside cabin every summer to escape the heat and noise of the city.

### 2. airplane interior

noun · CEFR B2

the area inside an airplane where the passengers sit.

For teachers: the interior compartment of an aircraft designed for the transport of passengers and crew.

- The flight attendant walked through the cabin to check everyone's seatbelt.
- Modern aircraft are designed with pressurized cabins to ensure passenger comfort and safety at high altitudes.

### 3. room on a ship

noun · CEFR B1

a private room for a passenger or crew member on a ship.

For teachers: a private room or compartment on a vessel, particularly one used for sleeping.

- Our cabin on the cruise ship was small but had a great view of the ocean.
- The captain retired to his cabin to review the navigational charts before the storm reached its peak.

### 4. private office

noun · CEFR C1 · Dialect

a small private office for a professional person like a doctor or manager.

For teachers: a partitioned or private office space within a larger building, used by professionals.

- The doctor asked me to wait inside his cabin while he looked at my results.
- The manager's cabin was situated at the far end of the floor, providing a quiet space for confidential meetings.

Usage: This sense is primarily used in Indian English.

Teaching tip: In most varieties of English, 'office' or 'consulting room' is preferred; 'cabin' in this context is specific to South Asian dialects.

### 5. to confine

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to keep someone or something in a small, tight space.

For teachers: to confine or limit someone within a narrow or restricted space.

- He felt cabined and confined by the small apartment and the busy city life.
- The poet described feeling cabined by the rigid social expectations of the era, longing for the freedom of the open sea.

## Examples

- The flight attendant walked through the cabin to check our seatbelts.
- We spent the weekend at a remote cabin in the mountains to get away from the city noise.
- Modern aircraft cabins are pressurized to maintain a comfortable environment for passengers even when the plane reaches its maximum cruising altitude.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.