showroom

showroom — noun

1. a place, usually a large room or building, where products such as cars, furnitur

1.nounB1
Definition

a place, usually a large room or building, where products such as cars, furniture, or kitchen appliances are arranged so that customers can look at them carefully before deciding what to buy.

Example

Vivek went to the car showroom to see the latest models before placing an order.

car showroom + place an order

The furniture showroom had sofas, tables, and beds arranged in room-like settings.

Common collocations
  • car showroom
  • furniture showroom
  • showroom floor
  • browse the showroom
  • visit a showroom
Synonyms
  • display room

    more general; can be used for non-commercial settings such as museums

  • exhibition hall

    larger space, often used for temporary events rather than ongoing retail

  • salesroom

    emphasises the selling function over the browsing aspect

Grammar Patterns

showroom + for + product type

Usage Note

Often used in compound nouns like 'car showroom' or 'furniture showroom' to indicate the type of product. Unlike a regular shop, customers at a showroom typically place an order for later delivery rather than taking items home straight away.

Common Mistakes

I bought a sofa at the furniture showroom and took it home.
I ordered a sofa at the furniture showroom and had it delivered.
In a showroom you usually place an order; items are not typically taken home immediately.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Showroom, display room, exhibition hall, and salesroom all refer to spaces where items are shown to people, but they differ in purpose. A showroom is a commercial space where products such as cars or furniture are laid out for customers to examine before ordering — the emphasis is on browsing and comparing. A display room is a more general term that can describe any room where things are shown, including museum exhibits. An exhibition hall is typically larger and used for temporary events like trade fairs or art shows rather than ongoing retail. A salesroom focuses more directly on the transaction; the word suggests a place where items are being actively sold, often at auction. For example, you visit a car showroom to explore options, you walk through an exhibition hall at a trade fair, and you bid at a salesroom during an auction.

showroom ↗display roomexhibition hallsalesroom

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • showroom display
  • showroom model
  • showroom sales

Prepositions

  • in the showroom
  • at the showroom

Etymology

English (show)English (room)English compound

The word 'showroom' is a compound formed by combining the verb 'show' (meaning to display or make visible) with the noun 'room' (a space within a building). It first appeared in English in the mid-1800s, when manufacturers and retailers began creating dedicated spaces where customers could examine large goods — such as furniture, carriages, and later automobiles — before deciding to purchase.