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 of alcove

• pavilion

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 real star of the show here is the second king bed tucked away in the stargazing alcove, which features two sides of glass walls and a fully glass ceiling—the perfect place to stargaze before sleep. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Nov. 2026

Tucked beneath the second-floor mezzanine, a series of alcoves became larger-than-life photo sets, with photographers on hand to capture guests in action. — Serena Turner, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026

Honey-blond parquet floors cover the nearly 300-square-foot common area, which has north-facing skyline views plus a bit of light from the west-facing dining alcove where the second bedroom once was. — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 2 Nov. 2026

While an alcove over the truck roof often serves as part of a pop-up sleeper roof, the version on the X canopy houses an interior storage cubby designed to hold slim gear like an outdoor table and chair set. — New Atlas, 23 Oct. 2026

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
• 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