Word: room Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *Hrew-? Proto-Indo-European *(H)rewH-der. Proto-Germanic *rūmą Proto-West Germanic *rūm Old English rūm Middle English roum English room From Middle English roum (“room, space”), from Old English rūm (“room, space”), from Proto-West Germanic *rūm (“room”), from Proto-Germanic *rūmą (“room”), from Proto-Indo-European *(H)rewH- (“to root; to rip, tear”), from *Hrew- (“to tear out, open”). Cognates Cognate with North Frisian rüm (“room, space”), Saterland Frisian and Low German Ruum (“room, space”), Dutch ruim (“open space; cargo hold”), German and Luxembourgish Raum (“room, space”), Vilamovian raojm (“room”), Danish and Swedish rum (“room, space”), Faroese and Icelandic rúm (“space, room”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk rom (“room, space”), Gothic 𐍂𐌿𐌼 (rum, “room, space”); also Irish rúsc (“bark”), Manx roost (“bark; peel, rind”), Scottish Gaelic rùsg (“rind; bark; fleece; shell”), Welsh rhisgl (“bark”), Latin rūs (“country, fields, lands; estate, farm; village”), Ancient Greek ὀρύσσω (orússō), ὀρύττω (orúttō, “to dig”), Latvian raut (“to pull with force”), Lithuanian rauti (“to grub, pull”), Belarusian рыць (rycʹ, “to dig”), Bulgarian ри́я (ríja, “to excavate”), Czech rýt (“to dig; to engrave”), Polish ryć (“to dig”), Russian рыть (rytʹ, “to dig; to burrow, mine”), Slovak ryť (“to dig; to engrave”), Slovene riti (“to dig”), Ukrainian ри́ти (rýty, “to dig, excavate”), Central Kurdish ڕێو (rêw, “public hair”), Tocharian A kärpi (“raw, rough; common”), Tocharian B kärpiye (“raw, rough; common”), Sanskrit लोमन् (loman), रोमन् (roman, “body hair; down, wool”). More at rural. Doublet of Raum, a surname from German. The word superficially appears to be an exception to the Great Vowel Shift, which might have produced the pronunciation /ɹaʊm/, but the retention of Middle English /uː/ before /m/ is regular. In fact, /aʊ/ does not occur before non-coronal consonants in Standard Modern English native vocabulary. Some dialects did undergo diphthongization in such a position and the pronunciation /ɹaʊm/ occurs, for example, in Lancashire. Pronunciation: /ɹʊm/, /ɹuːm/, /ɹɵm/, /ɹʉwm/, /ɹum/ 1. An opportunity or scope (to do something). Labels: archaic, countable, uncountable Example: Thou lorde whiche knowest the hertes of all men, shewe whether thou hast chosen of these two, that the one maye take the roume of this ministracion, and apostleshippe from the which Judas by transgression fell, that he myght goo to his awne place. Example: Nor shalt thou give me room to doubt whether it be necessity or love, that inspires this condescending impulse. 2. Space for something, or to carry out an activity. Labels: uncountable Example: He explains they have enough room to stand and lie down, points out the "little cup to brush our teeth", and the place where they pray. 3. A particular portion of space. Labels: archaic, countable, uncountable Example: If he have but twelve pence in his purse, he will give it for the best room in a playhouse. Example: When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room. 4. Sufficient space for or to do something. Labels: figuratively, uncountable Example: There was no prince in the empire who had room for such an alliance. Example: There are major disagreements within the Coalition and politicians always want to retain room for manoeuvre. 5. A space between the timbers of a ship's frame. Labels: countable, uncountable 6. A place; a stead. Labels: countable, obsolete, uncountable Example: For this purpose I have shown that no acquisitions of guilt can compensate the loss of that solid inward comfort of mind, which is the sure companion of innocence and virtue; nor can in the least balance the evil of that horror and anxiety which, in their room, guilt introduces into our bosoms. Example: A ram was accepted as a vicarious sacrifice in room of the royal victim. 7. A separate part of a building, enclosed by walls, a floor and a ceiling. Labels: countable Example: Miss Bingley made no answer, and soon afterwards she got up and walked about the room. Example: He looked round the poor room, at the distempered walls, and the bad engravings in meretricious frames, the crinkly paper and wax flowers on the chiffonier; and he thought of a room like Father Bryan's, with panelling, with cut glass, with tulips in silver pots, such a room as he had hoped to have for his own. 8. (One's) bedroom. Labels: countable Example: Go to your room! Example: She was so mad she wouldn't speak to me for quite a spell, but at last I coaxed her into going up to Miss Emmeline's room and fetching down a tintype of the missing Deacon man. 9. A set of rooms inhabited by someone; one's lodgings. Labels: countable, in-plural, uncountable 10. The people in a room. Labels: countable, metonymically, singular, uncountable, usually Example: The room was on its feet. Example: He was good at reading rooms. 11. An area for working in a coal mine. Labels: countable, uncountable 12. A portion of a cave that is wider than a passage. Labels: countable, uncountable 13. An IRC or chat room. Labels: Internet, countable Example: Some users may not be able to access the AOL room. Example: Here in the room we are as one / Together you and me, together you and me / Hours connect / As we switch on 14. A place or position in society; office; rank; post, sometimes when vacated by its former occupant. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: When ſhee that rules in Rhamnis golden gates, […] Shall make me ſolely Emperour of Aſia, Then ſhall your meeds and vallours be aduaunſt To roomes of honour and Nobilitie. Example: Let Bianca take her sister's room. 15. A quantity of furniture sufficient to furnish one room. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: “I understand you need some furniture and can’t get no credit.” I liked to fell over. He say, “I’ll give you all the credit you want, but you got to pay the interest on it.” I told him, “Give me three rooms worth and charge whatever you want.”