safe room

noun

plural safe rooms

1

: a room or compartment containing or functioning as a safe : vault sense 2c

… six ski-masked bandits burst through a chain-link fence in the Lufthansa cargo area at Kennedy Airport, short-circuited the alarm system … and cleaned out a safe room.

—Jerry Schwartz

2

: a room or compartment designed to protect occupants from death or injury (as due to crime, war, or natural disaster)

Each safe room is to be fireproofed and equipped with food, water and sanitary facilities to enable the staff to hold out until a rescue operation can be mounted.

—U.S. News & World Report

This reimbursement grant program will provide up to $3,500 to help Mississippi homeowners install a FEMA-compliant safe room/storm shelter on their property to protect themselves from severe weather.

—Lynn West

called also panic room

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined at sense 1