kiosk

kiosk — noun

1. A small open-fronted structure in a public place where you can buy newspapers, s

1.nounB1
Definition

A small open-fronted structure in a public place where you can buy newspapers, snacks, drinks, or other small items from a person working inside.

Example

Quan bought a bottle of water from the kiosk at the train station.

pattern: kiosk at [location]

The park kiosk sells ice cream, cold drinks, and chocolate bars to visitors.

Common collocations
  • newspaper kiosk
  • souvenir kiosk
  • snack kiosk
  • kiosk at/in/near [location]
Synonyms
  • stall

    usually temporary and not a built structure; found at markets or fairs

  • booth

    can be enclosed on all sides; often used for ticket sales or exhibitions

  • stand

    a simpler, often open-air setup; may lack a roof or walls

Grammar Patterns

kiosk + at/in/near [location]

kiosk + that sells [products]

[location] + kiosk

Usage Note

Often found in train stations, parks, shopping streets, and outside tourist attractions. The structure has one or more open sides where the seller faces the public.

Common Mistakes

I bought a magazine at the stall in the train station.' (when it is a permanent open-fronted shop).
I bought a magazine at the kiosk in the train station.
A 'stall' is usually a temporary table at a market, while a 'kiosk' is a more permanent small building.

2. A small enclosed structure on a street that contains a public telephone, formerl

2.nounB1
Definition

A small enclosed structure on a street that contains a public telephone, formerly very common in the United Kingdom and still seen in some areas.

Example

Rin ran to the phone kiosk on the corner to call for help.

UK usage: phone kiosk

The red phone kiosk has become a well-known symbol of London streets.

Common collocations
  • phone kiosk
  • telephone kiosk
  • red kiosk
Synonyms
  • phone booth

    more common in American English for the same structure

  • telephone booth

    slightly more formal than 'phone booth'

  • call box

    less common variant, used especially in the UK

Grammar Patterns

phone kiosk

telephone kiosk

Usage Note

This sense is primarily British English. In other varieties, 'phone booth' or 'telephone booth' is the usual term. Historic red kiosks are iconic in the UK, though most are no longer in service.

3. A freestanding electronic machine with a touch screen that people use in public

3.nounB1
Definition

A freestanding electronic machine with a touch screen that people use in public places such as airports or museums to get information, buy tickets, or check in for flights.

Example

Arjun used the touch-screen kiosk at the airport to check in for his flight.

collocation: touch-screen kiosk

The hospital installed a self-service kiosk so patients can pay their bills.

self-service kiosk for [purpose]

Common collocations
  • information kiosk
  • digital kiosk
  • touch-screen kiosk
  • self-service kiosk
  • ticketing kiosk
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

information kiosk

digital/touch-screen kiosk

self-service kiosk

kiosk for [purpose]

Usage Note

Common in airports, train stations, shopping malls, hospitals, and museums. These kiosks are usually touch-screen operated and do not have a person serving behind them.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

The words kiosk, stall, booth, and stand all refer to small retail or service points in public spaces, but they differ in construction and permanence. A kiosk is a small, partly enclosed building that stays in one place — often found at train stations or on city streets — and usually has a person selling items through an open front. A stall is typically a temporary table or counter at a market or fair, often put up and taken down each day. A booth suggests a more enclosed space, with walls on more than one side, such as a ticket booth at a cinema or a voting booth. A stand is the simplest setup — often just a table or rack with no roof or walls, like a lemonade stand or a hot dog stand on a sidewalk. For example: 'The newspaper kiosk on the corner opens at six every morning' (permanent building). 'She set up her stall at the weekend farmers' market' (temporary table). 'He bought popcorn from a stand outside the theater' (simple open-air counter).

kiosk ↗stall ↗booth ↗stand ↗

Common collocations

Prepositions

  • at a/the kiosk
  • by a/the kiosk
  • near a/the kiosk

Etymology

PersianTurkishFrenchEnglish

The word 'kiosk' entered English in the early 1600s from French 'kiosque', which itself came from Turkish 'köşk' meaning a garden pavilion or summerhouse. The Turkish word was borrowed from Persian 'kūshk' (کوشک), which referred to a palace, portico, or covered building. Originally used in English for ornate open garden structures in the Ottoman style, the meaning gradually shifted to small street booths for selling goods, and later to public phone boxes and digital information terminals.