vestibule

noun

ves·​ti·​bule ˈve-stə-ˌbyül How to pronounce vestibule (audio)
1
a
: a passage, hall, or room between the outer door and the interior of a building : lobby
b
: an enclosed entrance at the end of a railway passenger car
2
: any of various bodily cavities especially when serving as or resembling an entrance to some other cavity or space: such as
a
: the central cavity of the bony labyrinth of the inner ear or the parts (such as the saccule and utricle) of the membranous labyrinth that it contains
b
: the part of the left ventricle below the aortic orifice
c
: the space between the labia minora containing the orifice of the urethra
d
: the part of the mouth cavity outside the teeth and gums
3
: a course that offers access (as to something new)
vestibuled adjective

Examples of vestibule in a Sentence

please leave your wet boots in the vestibule
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.
Among other items, the board will discuss: A bid for purchasing a roughly $27,000 secure entry vestibule to be installed at Alfred Fairfax Academy. Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2025 However, Public Safety officers closed the door linking the library and the vestibule, and handcuffs were used to secure it, according to the outlet. Tara Suter, The Hill, 8 May 2025 At the scene of the attack, the victim’s jacket and hat laid on the floor of the vestibule as police continued to investigate Monday night. Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 27 Jan. 2025 On April 7, 2019, Mr. Mejia arrived at his girlfriend’s apartment building on Bailey Avenue, splashed a flammable liquid on the floor of the vestibule and lit it on fire. Michael Wilson, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vestibule

Word History

Etymology

Latin vestibulum forecourt

First Known Use

1726, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of vestibule was in 1726

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vestibule.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vestibule. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

vestibule

noun
ves·​ti·​bule ˈves-tə-ˌbyü(ə)l How to pronounce vestibule (audio)
: a hall or room between the outer door and the inside part of a building

Medical Definition

vestibule

noun
ves·​ti·​bule ˈves-tə-ˌbyül How to pronounce vestibule (audio)
: any of various bodily cavities especially when serving as or resembling an entrance to some other cavity or space: as
a(1)
: the central cavity of the bony labyrinth of the ear
(2)
: the parts of the membranous labyrinth comprising the utricle and the saccule and contained in the cavity of the bony labyrinth
b
: the space between the labia minora containing the orifice of the urethra
c
: the part of the left ventricle of the heart immediately below the aortic orifice
d
: the part of the mouth cavity outside the teeth and gums

More from Merriam-Webster on vestibule

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