Definition

Noun: A coatroom is a room, typically in a public building such as a restaurant, theater, or office, where coats, hats, umbrellas, and other outer garments or personal items can be left temporarily, often under the supervision of an attendant.

Usage

A coatroom is a designated space for the temporary storage of personal belongings, especially outerwear. It is a service area, not a permanent storage closet. The word is most commonly used in American English.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Please check your coat in the coatroom before entering the banquet hall.
  • The museum has a free coatroom for visitors' convenience.
  • I left my umbrella in the coatroom by mistake.

Advanced Usage

• "to check (something) into the coatroom": To leave an item with an attendant in a coatroom, often receiving a claim ticket in return.
  • We checked our bags into the coatroom so we wouldn't have to carry them during the tour.

Variants and Related Words

• Cloakroom (noun): A synonym more common in British English. It can have the same meaning as "coatroom" but may also refer to a room containing toilets in a public building.
• Checkroom (noun): Another synonym, emphasizing the system of checking items in and out.
• Coat check (noun): Refers to the service or counter itself, often used interchangeably with "coatroom."
  • Is there a coat check available?

Synonyms

• Cloakroom
• Checkroom
• Vestiaire (from French, used in some contexts like high-end venues)

Notes on Meaning

The core meaning is a room for temporary item storage. It implies a managed, often attended, space rather than a simple rack or unsupervised area.

Noun

1. a room where coats and other articles can be left temporarily