ENGLISH
REFERENCE

saloon

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //səˈɫun// UK //sɐlˈuːn// sa·loon Archaic

n. a public bar, especially one in the old American West. In some countries, it also means a car with a separate trunk for luggage.

n. a public room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served, historically associated with the American frontier. In British English, it refers to a car with a fixed roof and a separate compartment for the boot.


SIMPLE

The cowboy walked into the saloon and ordered a drink.

CONTEXTUAL

The film features a classic scene where the hero confronts the villain in a dusty saloon at high noon.

Synonyms
Origin

From Occitan salon, French salon, either augmentative of salle (“room”), or borrowed from Italian salone (“hall”), augmentative form of sala, salla (“room”); in both cases borrowed from a Germanic source such as Old High German sal (“house, hall”), from Proto-Germanic salą, from Proto-Indo-European sel- (“dwelling”). Doublet of salon.

Usage

In an automotive context, 'saloon' is the standard British term for what American speakers call a 'sedan'.

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