: a table that is often partitioned or enclosed and is used for individual study especially in a library
Examples of carrel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At six foot three, Debicki can’t help but draw attention, but in person she’s cloaked in the retiring aspect of a graduate student emerging from a library carrel.
—
Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2024
Shug Dula There were arcade games, staff lunches, and a library with study carrels.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 6 June 2023
Mortara brought the intriguing decision to Mitchell, who was ensconced in a library carrel.
—Jeannie Suk Gersen, The New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2023
Plans call for the first-floor of the building to also include a community meeting room, study carrels, an exercise room, a technology room and offices for property-management staff.
—Robin Goist, cleveland, 5 Feb. 2020
Strung along these were a multitude of carrels, with here and there a snack bar.
—Richard Brookhiser, National Review, 23 Jan. 2020
On my visit in the spring, tarps covered study carrels in the library to protect them from a leaky roof.
—Eliza Gray, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2019
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Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2024
Shug Dula There were arcade games, staff lunches, and a library with study carrels.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 6 June 2023
Mortara brought the intriguing decision to Mitchell, who was ensconced in a library carrel.
—Jeannie Suk Gersen, The New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2023
Plans call for the first-floor of the building to also include a community meeting room, study carrels, an exercise room, a technology room and offices for property-management staff.
—Robin Goist, cleveland, 5 Feb. 2020
Strung along these were a multitude of carrels, with here and there a snack bar.
—Richard Brookhiser, National Review, 23 Jan. 2020
On my visit in the spring, tarps covered study carrels in the library to protect them from a leaky roof.
—Eliza Gray, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Carrel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carrel. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationBiographical Definition
Carrel
biographical name
Car·rel
kə-ˈrel 
ˈker-əl,
ˈka-rəl
Alexis 1873–1944 French surgeon and biologist
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