ENGLISH
REFERENCE

closet

n. countable
A2 Elementary US //ˈkɫɑzət// UK //klˈɒzɪt// clos·et Archaic Slang

n. a small room or a large cupboard where you keep clothes, shoes, or other household items. It helps you keep your things organized and out of sight.

n. a small, enclosed space or cabinet used for storage, particularly of apparel or household supplies. Predominantly used in North American English; the British equivalent is typically 'wardrobe' or 'cupboard'.


SIMPLE

I need to hang my new coat in the closet.

CONTEXTUAL

She spent the entire Saturday morning organizing her bedroom closet and donating old clothes to charity.

COMPLEX

The architect designed the master suite with a spacious walk-in closet to ensure the living area remained free of clutter and bulky furniture.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English closet, from Old French closet, from clos (“private space”) + -et (diminutive suffix), from Latin clausum. Equivalent to close + -et, but generally applied in French solely to small open-air enclosures.

Usage

Commonly used in North American English. In British English, 'closet' often refers specifically to a water closet (toilet) or is used metaphorically.

Idioms4 entries

© 2026 English Reference