English Reference

Word

sala

/ˈsɑɫə/

Definition

n. a room or hall used for eating, sleeping, or meeting people. It is a common word in Spanish-speaking countries for a living room or dining area.

n. a room or hall designated for specific domestic or social activities, such as dining, sleeping, or receiving guests. Often used in the context of Spanish-speaking legal or architectural terminology to describe a specific functional space within a residence.

Examples

“The family gathered in the sala to watch the game.”

“The apartment consists of a small kitchen, a bedroom, and a large sala that serves as both a living room and a dining area.”

“In many traditional Spanish-speaking homes, the sala is the central hub of the household, designed to facilitate both formal entertaining and casual family gatherings.”

Examples

simple

“The family gathered in the sala to watch the game.”

contextual

“The apartment consists of a small kitchen, a bedroom, and a large sala that serves as both a living room and a dining area.”

complex

“In many traditional Spanish-speaking homes, the sala is the central hub of the household, designed to facilitate both formal entertaining and casual family gatherings.”

Real-World Examples

“Then, in the Sala Grande, the main screening hall of the Venice film festival within the Palazzo del Cinema, the audience stood almost as one and turned to applaud the film-makers for 25 minutes.”
The Guardian · 19 Sept 2026

Etymology

From Spanish sala, from Germanic. Compare Swedish sal. Doublet of salle and sale.

Borrowed from Thai ศาลา (sǎa-laa), ultimately from Sanskrit शाला (śālā, “hall”).

Borrowed from Hindi साला (sālā).

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

Domain

Law

This entry

Level
C2 · Proficiency
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

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English Reference