booth

booth — noun

1. a very small enclosed place for one person, made for privacy or for doing one jo

1.nounB1
Definition

a very small enclosed place for one person, made for privacy or for doing one job like calling, voting, or recording speech.

Example

Noa stepped into the voting booth and closed the curtain.

collocation: voting booth

At the museum, children record stories inside a small sound booth.

collocation: sound booth

Common collocations
  • phone booth
  • voting booth
  • sound booth
  • recording booth
Synonyms
  • cubicle

    often means a partitioned small space for work or changing, not a separate little structure.

  • stall

    can mean a narrow partitioned space, especially in public facilities or voting contexts.

  • compartment

    a broad word for any separated section, with less focus on one private activity.

Grammar Patterns

in a booth

phone booth

voting booth

sound booth

Usage Note

Usually modified by a noun naming the activity, such as phone, voting, or recording. Distinguish from sense 2, where a booth is staffed for selling things or helping visitors.

Common Mistakes

I made the call in booth near the station.
I made the call in a booth near the station.
The singular countable noun needs an article.

2. a small partly enclosed place where people sell things, give information, or ser

2.nounB1
Definition

a small partly enclosed place where people sell things, give information, or serve customers, especially at fairs, shows, or stations.

Example

Ravi sold paper fans from a blue booth at the night market.

pattern: sell from a booth

Tourists lined up at the ticket booth before the first ferry.

collocation: ticket booth

Common collocations
  • ticket booth
  • information booth
  • food booth
  • market booth
Synonyms
  • stall

    the closest everyday match, especially at markets and fairs.

  • kiosk

    often suggests a more fixed small structure in a street, station, or mall.

  • stand

    a broad word for a small place selling food, tickets, or other goods.

  • counter

    can mean only the service window, not the whole structure around it.

Grammar Patterns

at a booth

ticket booth

information booth

food booth

Usage Note

Common at fairs, stations, cinemas, and tourist sites. Unlike sense 1, people usually speak to staff there instead of using the space privately.

Common Mistakes

They rented a booth in the mall for ten years.
They rented a shop in the mall for ten years.
A booth is usually small and often temporary, especially at events or service points.

3. a built-in seating area beside the wall in an eating place, where two long bench

3.nounB2
Definition

a built-in seating area beside the wall in an eating place, where two long benches face each other across one table.

Example

We slid into a corner booth and ordered dumplings.

collocation: corner booth

A red booth by the window was free after lunch.

collocation: window booth

Common collocations
  • corner booth
  • window booth
  • sit in a booth
  • restaurant booth
Synonyms
  • banquette

    a restaurant word for a long padded bench or booth-style seating.

  • bench seat

    focuses on the long seat itself, not the whole enclosed arrangement.

  • alcove seat

    suggests a tucked-away seating area, though it does not always include facing benches.

Grammar Patterns

sit in a booth

corner booth

window booth

restaurant booth

Usage Note

Usually appears with sit in, corner booth, or window booth. It is more enclosed than an ordinary table and chairs.

Common Mistakes

Let's sit on that booth by the wall.
Let's sit in that booth by the wall.
People normally sit in a booth because the seats and table are enclosed together.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

For sense 2, booth is a flexible everyday word for a small place where people sell, display, or provide help. Stall is the closest match and is especially common at markets or fairs, where goods are laid out openly. Kiosk often suggests a more fixed small structure in a street, station, or mall, and it may sell snacks, papers, or tickets. Stand is broader and often sounds lighter or more temporary, as in a food stand or lemonade stand. Counter can mean the service window inside a larger place, not the whole booth. So you might buy flowers at a booth, fruit at a stall, and a train ticket from a kiosk or counter, depending on the setup.

booth ↗stall ↗kiosk ↗stand ↗counter ↗

Etymology

Old NorseMiddle EnglishEnglish

Booth came into Middle English from a Scandinavian source, especially Old Norse buth, meaning a shelter or small dwelling. It is related to Old English buan, meaning 'to live or dwell'. The oldest idea behind the word was therefore a place where someone stays or carries out an activity, which later developed into today's meanings such as a private enclosure, a market stand, and a restaurant seating space.