saloon

noun

sa·​loon sə-ˈlün 

1

a

chiefly British : salon sense 1

b

chiefly British : an often elaborately decorated public hall

c(1)

: a usually large public cabin on a ship (as for dining)

(2)

: the living area on a yacht

d

chiefly British : salon sense 4

e

: barroom

2

: salon sense 2

3

British

a

: parlor car

b

: sedan sense 2a

called also saloon car

Synonyms

• bar
• barroom
• café
• cafe
• cantina [Southwest]
• dramshop
• gin mill
• grogshop [chiefly British]
• pub
• public house [chiefly British]
• taproom
• tavern
• watering hole
• watering place

Examples of saloon in a Sentence

cowboys drinking in the saloon after their work was done for the day

Recent Examples on the Web

The saloon would remain in production for a decade, during which time the automaker sold over 7,000 examples of the vehicle. —Raphael Orlove, Robb Report, 27 Feb. 2025

This country was born in a bar—the revolutionaries met in taverns, westward expansion had a lot to do with saloons, the Civil Rights Movement—meetings happened in churches but also in bars, Stonewall was a bar. —Jessi Roti, Bon Appétit, 20 Feb. 2025

The buildings hearken back to days when miners and loggers crowded the main street’s saloons. —Cassidy Randall, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025

The false front of a saloon still stood, with an alder tree growing through its warped timbers. —Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 13 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French salon, from Italian salone, augmentative of sala hall, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German sal hall; akin to Lithuanian sala village

First Known Use

1728, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for saloon

• attune
• baboon
• balloon
• bassoon
• buffoon
• cartoon
• cocoon
• festoon
• gaboon
• harpoon
• immune
• impugn

Kids Definition

saloon

noun

sa·​loon sə-ˈlün 

1

: a public room for socializing especially on a ship

2

: barroom