antechamber

noun
an·​te·​cham·​ber | \ ˈan-ti-ˌchām-bər How to pronounce antechamber (audio) \

Definition of antechamber

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Did You Know?

One expects to find an antechamber outside the private chambers of a Supreme Court Justice or leading into the great hall of a medieval castle. In the private end of the castle the lord's or lady's bedchamber would have its own antechamber, which served as a dressing room and sitting room, but could also house bodyguards if the castle came under siege. Anteroom is a less formal synonym, one that's often applied to the waiting rooms of professional offices today.

Examples of antechamber in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In an ages-old, arched antechamber that led to a courtyard, Yuri Jacinto Huaytalla ground fresh beans and poured me a silky latte. National Geographic, "Here’s why every foodie you know is heading to Peru," 19 July 2019 The lineup promises a fantastic array of acoustic and electric works, installations and interactive events, with attendees free to move through the gardens, alcoves and antechambers of the always-alluring Chapel. Georgia Rowe, The Mercury News, "Eclectic annual ‘Garden of Memory’ concert returns to Oakland’s Chapel of the Chimes," 18 June 2019 Past the entryway, in a dark, domed antechamber lit by flickering lights styled as medieval torches, stand two statues of angels with swords in hand. Matías Costa, Smithsonian, "The Battle Over the Memory of the Spanish Civil War," 28 June 2018 There’s an antechamber and then a door, which gives way to a vast interior that doesn’t contain much except some bits of rusty metal and an old chair. 3. Cristela Guerra, BostonGlobe.com, "5 facts about the abandoned T tunnel under City Hall Plaza you may get a chance to tour," 16 May 2018 Atmosphere is what Central Park lacks right now, in the antechamber of springtime. Josephine Livingstone, The New Republic, "A new show of French garden art at the Met explores the politics of verdant leisure spaces.," 13 Apr. 2018 Half the restaurant is reserved as a sort of antechamber, called the Living Room, used for canapés and champagne before dinner, or for coffee and digestifs afterward. Rachel Aviv, The New Yorker, "A Nineteen-Year-Old Chef Masters the Rules of Fine Dining," 12 Apr. 2018 Speculation that King Tutankhamun's tomb contains additional antechambers stoked interest in recent years, before scans by ground-penetrating radar and other tools came up empty, raising doubts about the claim. Brian Rohan, The Christian Science Monitor, "Scientists discover secret chamber in Egypt's Great Pyramid," 3 Nov. 2017 Speculation that King Tutankhamun’s tomb contains additional antechambers stoked interest in recent years, before scans by ground-penetrating radar and other tools came up empty, raising doubts about the claim. Washington Post, "Scientists discover hidden chamber in Egypt’s Great Pyramid," 2 Nov. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'antechamber.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of antechamber

1587, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for antechamber

French antichambre, from Middle French, from Italian anti- (from Latin ante-) + Middle French chambre room

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