saloon

noun

sa·​loon sə-ˈlün How to pronounce saloon (audio)
Synonyms of saloonnext
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
: barroom
2
: salon sense 2
3
British
a
: parlor car
b
: sedan sense 2a

called also saloon car

Synonyms of saloon

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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.
Fitzpatrick has pointed to the saloon’s string of viral controversies as a calling card in the crowded race. — Noah Daly, Idaho Statesman, 11 June 2026 The estate’s centerpiece is a speakeasy-style of saloon designed as a private entertainment space. — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 23 June 2026 The ranch saloon sits across from the open yard—and around the corner and up a hill of long yellow grass is the outdoor rodeo arena, home to lively summer rodeos every week in the summer season. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 June 2026 San Francisco was transformed almost overnight, from a quiet port into a chaotic boomtown packed with tents, saloons, stores and speculation. — Andre Byik, USA Today, 29 June 2026 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

Rhymes for saloon

See All Rhymes for saloon

Browse Nearby Words

salon music
saloon
saloonatic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Saloon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saloon. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

saloon

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

More from Merriam-Webster on saloon

Nglish: Translation of saloon for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about saloon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All