rec room
21
3.3
- noun
- /rɛk ruːm/
- Informal
- The family gathered in the rec room to play board games and watch movies together.
- basement rec room
- rec room door
- rec room and den
Examples
-
I'm going down to the rec room.
-
At this moment we live in an apartment that actually has a gym, a communal rec room, and a communal rooftop.
-
Honey, can you take this up to the rec room to the kids?
-
That commercial was on the TV in the rec room.
-
Hey, did I tell you we're building a new rec room?
-
We got a rec room, we got a pool table, everything.
-
Well, I was in the rec room, and I was bored.
-
Later, when all the guests were gone, Max and Joel shared a newspaper in the rec room.
Fiction book (1991) -
Other trainees are drifting into the rec room, some whispering among themselves.
Fiction book (1991) -
After finishing their homework, the kids went to the rec room to play video games.
Synonyms
571
1.0
A room in a house where people relax and sit together, for example to watch TV
31
1.0
A room in a house where people relax and spend time together
21
1.6
A room in a house where people sit and talk
14
1.4
A room with games like table tennis, pool, or video games for fun
2
2.7
A room with games and space for relaxing and having fun
How Comfortable
- US
11
3.3
189
2.3
- Informal
21
3.3
31
1.0
5
1.4
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a room for relaxation or recreation' is directly and compositionally derived from 'rec' (recreational/leisure) + 'room' (indoor area). Although 'rec' is an informal abbreviation, the lexical parts transparently combine to indicate a leisure room, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will understand the MWE.
Etymology
The noun rec room is short for recreation room, a name for a space set up for fun and rest. Picture a room with a pool table, a couch and some games where people relax and play, and that is why the phrase means 'a room for relaxation or games'.