studio

studio — noun

1. a room fitted with microphones, cameras, mixers, and soundproofing, used for rec

1.nounB1
Definition

a room fitted with microphones, cameras, mixers, and soundproofing, used for recording radio shows, television programmes, or music tracks

Example

Abigail spent the whole afternoon in the recording studio working on her new song.

collocation: recording studio

The news anchor reads from a screen inside the television studio while the producer counts down.

Common collocations
  • recording studio
  • television studio
  • radio studio
  • book a studio
  • in the studio
  • live from the studio
  • studio audience
Synonyms
  • recording studio

    a more specific term that always refers to a music-recording facility

  • control room

    the part of a broadcast studio where engineers operate the equipment, not the space where performers appear

Grammar Patterns

in a/the studio

at a/the studio

Usage Note

Often appears with a modifier that specifies the type: 'recording studio', 'television studio', 'radio studio'. The definite article is common when referring to a specific facility ('at the studio').

Common Mistakes

I am going to recording studio.
I am going to a recording studio.
'studio' is a countable noun and needs a determiner.
The band recorded in the study.
The band recorded in the studio.
'study' is a room for reading and writing, not for recording music.

2. a large facility containing sound stages and production offices used for creatin

2.nounB1
Definition

a large facility containing sound stages and production offices used for creating motion pictures, or the company that owns it

Example

Linh got a job as a costume assistant at the film studio near Los Angeles.

collocation: film studio

The studio decided to spend more money on special effects for the new action movie.

Common collocations
  • film studio
  • studio lot
  • studio executive
  • major studio
  • independent studio
  • studio system
Synonyms
  • film lot

    focuses on the physical outdoor area of a film studio with sets and buildings

  • production company

    emphasises the business side — the studio as an organisation that funds and distributes films

Grammar Patterns

at a/the studio

studio + noun (studio lot, studio boss)

Usage Note

Can refer to either a physical place (a building or set of buildings) or the business entity that makes and distributes films. The meaning is usually clear from context — 'the studio hired a new director' refers to the company, while 'we visited the studio' refers to the physical location.

Common Mistakes

The film was made at a cinema studio.
The film was made at a film studio.
'cinema' refers to the place where people watch films, not where they are made.

3. a place with a sprung floor and full-length mirrors where dance classes are held

3.nounB1
Definition

a place with a sprung floor and full-length mirrors where dance classes are held and dancers rehearse

Example

Vivek takes ballet classes at a dance studio three times a week after school.

collocation: dance studio

The dance studio on Main Street offers lessons in hip-hop, salsa, and traditional folk dance.

Common collocations
  • dance studio
  • take classes at a studio
  • studio owner
  • ballet studio
  • rent a studio
Synonyms
  • dance school

    focuses more on the institution and lessons than on the physical room

  • dance centre

    a larger facility that may have multiple studios and performance spaces

Grammar Patterns

at a/the dance studio

studio + noun (studio class)

Usage Note

Often preceded by 'dance' to distinguish it from other types of studio. Commonly used with the prepositions 'at' and 'in'. Many dance studios are small businesses run by individual teachers.

4. a room where a painter, sculptor, photographer, or other visual artist creates t

4.nounB1
Definition

a room where a painter, sculptor, photographer, or other visual artist creates their work, often with good natural light and space for materials

Example

Élise spends every morning in her studio painting portraits of people from the local market.

in her studio (artist's workspace)

Otis set up a photography studio in his garage with two large lights and a white backdrop.

photography studio

Common collocations
  • artist's studio
  • photography studio
  • studio space
  • rent a studio
  • studio lighting
  • open studio
Synonyms
  • atelier

    a French borrowing used in English for a high-end artist's studio, especially in fashion or fine art

Grammar Patterns

in a/the studio

studio + noun (studio space)

Usage Note

Unlike 'workshop', which suggests tools and heavy materials, 'studio' for artists implies a space for visual creation — painting, drawing, photography, or sculpture. Often used with a possessive ('her studio', 'his studio').

Common Mistakes

The painter works in his workshop.
The painter works in his studio.
'workshop' is more common for woodwork or mechanical repairs; fine artists use a 'studio'.

5. a business that produces and sells artwork, photographs, or design services, oft

5.nounB2
Definition

a business that produces and sells artwork, photographs, or design services, often run by one or more artists

Example

Talia runs a small design studio that creates logos and posters for local restaurants.

design studio

Amani joined a photography studio specialising in wedding portraits and corporate events.

collocation: photography studio (as a business)

Common collocations
  • design studio
  • art studio
  • studio manager
  • run a studio
  • own a studio
Synonyms
  • design firm

    more formal term emphasising the business and client-servicing aspect

  • art atelier

    a high-end term for a studio that produces original fine-art pieces rather than commercial design

Grammar Patterns

studio + noun (studio manager)

Usage Note

This sense focuses on the studio as a business entity rather than a physical workspace. The same physical space can function as both a workplace (sense 4) and a company (sense 5), but the context tells you which meaning is intended — look for words like 'hired', 'client', 'contract', or 'sells'.

6. a small home made up of one main room that serves as both a living area and a be

6.nounB1
Definition

a small home made up of one main room that serves as both a living area and a bedroom, plus a bathroom and often a small kitchen area

Example

Kabir rented a studio near the university because it was cheaper than a one-bedroom flat.

rent a studio (apartment sense)

The young couple moved into a bright studio with large windows and a tiny kitchen in the corner.

Common collocations
  • studio apartment
  • studio flat
  • rent a studio
  • live in a studio
  • studio size
Synonyms
  • studio flat

    British English equivalent; refers to the same type of small, open-plan home

  • efficiency apartment

    a US term for a very compact studio, usually with minimal kitchen facilities

Grammar Patterns

studio + noun (studio flat)

Usage Note

Commonly called 'studio apartment' in American English and 'studio flat' in British English. Often simply shortened to 'studio' in context ('She lives in a studio'). The open-plan layout — where the bed, sofa, and kitchen are in one space — is the defining feature.

Common Mistakes

I live in a studio bedroom.
I live in a studio.' or 'I live in a studio apartment.
'studio' alone already means the whole apartment, not just the bedroom.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms describe spaces used for audio or video production, but they differ in size and function. A 'studio' is the full room where performers sing, speak, or play instruments — the creative space with microphones and cameras. A 'control room' is the adjacent area where engineers sit at mixing desks and watch through glass; it is not where the performance happens. A 'sound booth' is a small, often soundproof enclosure used for voice-over recording or live commentary, typically holding just one person. A 'recording room' is a general term that can refer to any space set up for recording and is less specific than 'studio'. For example, a radio host might say 'Welcome back to the studio' while the producer is in the control room adjusting the sound levels.

studio ↗control roomsound boothrecording room

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • state-of-the-art studio
  • home studio
  • studio session
  • studio tour
  • studio time

Prepositions

  • in a studio
  • at a studio
  • to a studio

Etymology

LatinItalianEnglish

The word 'studio' comes directly from Italian, where 'studio' meant a room for study or work. The Italian word itself traces back to Latin 'studium', meaning 'eagerness, hard work, or devotion to learning', related to the verb 'studere' ('to be eager' or 'to apply oneself'). The original English meaning was a room where a scholar or artist studied and worked. In the 1800s, the word expanded to cover dance and film production spaces, and later in the 1900s it came to describe a compact apartment layout.