alcove

noun

al·​cove ˈal-ˌkōv 

1

a

: a small recessed section of a room : nook

b

: an arched opening (as in a wall) : niche

2

: summerhouse sense 2

alcoved

ˈal-ˌkōvd 

adjective

Synonyms

• belvedere
• casino
• gazebo
• kiosk
• pavilion
• summerhouse

Examples of alcove in a Sentence

a small alcove in one corner of the backyard garden

an ancient vase in an alcove and a sculpture of Achilles on a stand in the museum's Greek Hall

Recent Examples on the Web

The pot, found in an alcove used as a shelf, was mostly intact with two opposing handles but appeared to be missing its neck and parts of the rim, according to the release. —Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2025

Incorporating antique finds, greenery, and utilizing your home's quirky features, like alcoves and nooks, are just a few of the ways your home is set apart from the rest on the block. —Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Mar. 2025

Curtains of a Tartan by Strathmore Woollen Company add privacy to a room lined with alcove beds. —Michael James Gardner, Architectural Digest, 19 Mar. 2025

The artsy atmosphere of the hotel attracts remote workers to the lobby’s many alcoves to work. —Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French alcôve, from Spanish alcoba, from Arabic al-qubba the arch

First Known Use

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for alcove

• mangrove
• clove
• cove
• drove
• rove
• shrove
• stove
• strove
• throve
• trove
• wove

Kids Definition

alcove

noun

al·​cove ˈal-ˌkōv 

1

: a small section of a room set back from the rest of it

2

: an arched opening (as in a wall) : niche