parlors
- Scope note
- Rooms intended for conversation and the reception of guests in residences, hotels, monasteries, or churches, particularly common in the 18th and 19th century, often decorated with the finest furnishings as a symbol of social status. Mostly replaced in residential architecture since the 20th century by the living room. The term has developed multiple historical meanings, from the 14th century “apartment in a monastery for conversations with outside persons,” to the late 14th century “room off a main hall offering some privacy,” by early 15th century to “public room of a private house,” by 16th century to “the ordinary sitting room of a family,” to a “show room for a business” (as in ice cream parlor) by 1884.
- Date of creation: 18-Nov-2024
Accepted term: 18-Nov-2024