vestibule

noun

ves·​ti·​bule ˈve-stə-ˌbyül 

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

ˈve-stə-ˌbyüld 

adjective

Synonyms of vestibule

• foyer
• hallway
• lobby

Examples of vestibule in a Sentence

please leave your wet boots in the vestibule

Recent Examples on the Web

But step into the vestibule and the Bruin’s movie-star appeal becomes harder to miss. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026

On the main level, an entry vestibule and a foyer flow into formal living and dining areas. — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 17 Aug. 2026

There is also fire damage, along with significant water and smoke damage, to the side of the building, the entryway, and the vestibule. — Sarah Horbacewicz, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026

Just past the vestibule, party guests undulated to a runaway groove on a fifteen-foot-wide dance floor. — Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin vestibulum forecourt

First Known Use

1726, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing vestibule

• vestibule school

Rhymes for vestibule

• minuscule
• molecule
• overrule
• poiseuille
• reticule
• ridicule
• ampoule
• bascule
• carpool
• cesspool
• ferrule
• footstool

Kids Definition

vestibule

noun

ves·​ti·​bule ˈves-tə-ˌbyü(ə)l 

: 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 

: 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