vestibule
VES-tih-byool
/ˈves.tɪ.bjuːl/
An antechamber, hall, or lobby next to the outer door of a building; a transitional entryway space.
Serves as an airlock or transitional threshold buffer between external weather and main internal rooms.
The story behind the word. In ancient Roman housing, the 'vestibulum' was an open courtyard space between the street and the front entrance door of a wealthy citizen's house. Visitors waited there before being admitted into the atrium.
Word relationships
- foyer: A foyer is often larger and intended for socializing or gathering, whereas a vestibule is a smaller transitional airlock entry.
- antechamber: An antechamber is a waiting room leading into a larger room inside a building, not necessarily at the front door.
- interior core: The inner central part of a building far removed from external doors.
Commonly confused with
- porch: A porch is usually an outdoor covered platform outside the front door, whereas a vestibule is an enclosed indoor room.
Word family
- vestibular (adjective): Relating to a vestibule (or the inner ear sensory system).
Collocations
- entrance vestibule
- glass vestibule
- outer vestibule
- step into the vestibule
Example sentences
- "Visitors shook off snow in the warm glass vestibule before stepping into the museum lobby." Public Buildings
- "The Victorian home included a tiled vestibule designed to keep mud and cold air out of the main hallway." Residential Architecture
Memory hook
Invest in a vestibule to keep the cold wind from blowing into your warm home. Vestibule = Entry buffer room.
When not to use
Do not confuse with a main living room or primary grand ballroom.
Fun facts
- In modern commercial building codes, double-door vestibules are required to reduce heating and cooling energy loss whenever people enter or exit.
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