saloon

noun

sa·​loon sə-ˈlün How to pronounce saloon (audio)
1
a
chiefly British : salon sense 1
b
chiefly British : an often elaborately decorated public hall
c(1)
: a usually large public cabin on a ship (as for dining)
(2)
: the living area on a yacht
d
chiefly British : salon sense 4
e
2
3
British
b
: sedan sense 2a

called also saloon car

Examples of saloon in a Sentence

cowboys drinking in the saloon after their work was done for the day
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cole’s French Dip, the oldest restaurant and saloon in Los Angeles, is slated to close its doors Aug. 3. Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2025 Hugh taught school and later owned a saloon, the Black Elephant, at 424 East Sixth St.; the building is still there. Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 Once operating as a saloon in its original state, the historic building was most recently home to Pints & Union — now located on Bardstown Road. Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025 Ivanisevic made the most of his last chance saloon, beating Andy Roddick, Marat Safin and home favorite Tim Henman over a three-day semi on the way to a showdown against Pat Rafter. Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for saloon

Word History

Etymology

French salon, from Italian salone, augmentative of sala hall, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German sal hall; akin to Lithuanian sala village

First Known Use

1728, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of saloon was in 1728

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Saloon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saloon. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

saloon

noun
sa·​loon sə-ˈlün How to pronounce saloon (audio)
1
: a public room for socializing especially on a ship
2

More from Merriam-Webster on saloon

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