What does "closet" mean?

1. (storage space) a small room or a large cupboard used for storing clothes, towels, or other household items. 2. (state of secrecy) a state of keeping your true feelings or identity secret from other people. 3. (secret or hidden) describes someone who keeps a belief, habit, or part of their identity secret. 4. (to shut away) to put yourself or someone else in a private room for a secret meeting.

How do you use "closet"?

Often used with 'walk-in' to describe a storage space large enough to enter. Commonly used in the idiomatic phrase 'in the closet' or 'to come out of the closet'. Typically placed directly before the noun it modifies.

closet

n. · adj. · v.

US //ˈkɫɑzət// UK //klˈɒzɪt// clos·et

1 storage space (n.)
A2 Elementary American English

a small room or a large cupboard used for storing clothes, towels, or other household items.

a small, enclosed space or cabinet used for storage. Predominantly American English in this sense; British English speakers typically prefer 'wardrobe' or 'cupboard'.

Example

He hung his winter coats in the back of the closet until next year.

Example

The master bedroom features a spacious walk-in closet with custom shelving for shoes and accessories.

Usage

Often used with 'walk-in' to describe a storage space large enough to enter.
2 state of secrecy (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

a state of keeping your true feelings or identity secret from other people.

a state of secrecy or concealment, particularly regarding one's sexual orientation or a hidden aspect of one's identity.

Example

He spent many years in the closet before finally telling his family the truth.

Example

The documentary explores the psychological toll of living in the closet during an era of intense social prejudice.

Usage

Commonly used in the idiomatic phrase 'in the closet' or 'to come out of the closet'.
- secrecy
- concealment
- openness

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3 secret or hidden (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

describes someone who keeps a belief, habit, or part of their identity secret.

denoting a person who hides a specific interest, belief, or identity from the public. Usually functions as an attributive adjective before a noun.

Example

She is a closet fan of reality TV shows, though she pretends to hate them.

Example

He was a closet revolutionary who spent his days working as a quiet clerk while writing manifestos at night.

Usage

Typically placed directly before the noun it modifies.
- open
- avowed
4 to shut away (v.)
C1 Advanced Formal

to put yourself or someone else in a private room for a secret meeting.

to shut someone away in a private room, typically for the purpose of confidential discussion or seclusion. Transitive; often used in the passive voice or as a reflexive verb.

Example

The lawyers closeted themselves in the office to finish the contract.

Example

The jury was closeted for several hours before finally reaching a unanimous verdict on the complex case.

Teacher's tip

This verbal use is much less common than the noun and is usually found in formal writing or news reports about high-level negotiations.
- sequester
- isolate
- seclude

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.

Idioms4 entries