front room

plural front rooms · alternative frontroom · alternative front-room

1. A room near the entrance of a building.

   She did not knock at the door, which stood open, but, somewhat to Fermi's amazement, walked at once into the front room, which was plainly the room of state.

   1880, Frances Hodgson Burnett, chapter 7, in Louisiana

   Synonyms: foreroom · Antonyms: backroom, back room

   1. Such a room that serves as an entryway, initial reception area, or waiting room.

      Near-synonyms: foyer, vestibule

      Synonyms: foreroom, anteroom, antechamber, foyer, vestibule · Antonyms: backroom, back room

   2. especiallyA living room or similar room in such position that is used for entertaining guests or for special occasions.

      She had a whole floor of everlasting flowers spread to dry in her front room.

      1942, Emily Carr, “Loyalty”, in The Book of Small, Toronto, Ont.: Oxford University Press, →OCLC

      3 more examples

      He found the door open, and in the front room, which is bare of furniture, discovered the body of a gentleman, well dressed, and having cards in his pocket bearing the name of ‘Enoch J. Drebber, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.‘

      1887, Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter 3, in A Study in Scarlet

      The front room, the parlor, seemed to us children to be a room of much splendor, but was open for general use only on Sunday evening or on rare occasions when there were parties.

      1913, Theodore Roosevelt, chapter 1, in Theodore Roosevelt: An Autobiography

      As well as our rather cluttered sitting-room we did have what was referred to as the ‘front room’.

      1983, Bill Oddie, Gone Birding, London: Methuen, page 48

      Synonyms: foreroom, foreroom, fronch room · Antonyms: backroom, back room, backroom, back room