vestibule

noun

ves·​ti·​bule ˈve-stə-ˌbyül How to pronounce vestibule (audio)
1
a
: a passage, hall, or room between the outer door and the interior of a building : lobby
b
: an enclosed entrance at the end of a railway passenger car
2
: any of various bodily cavities especially when serving as or resembling an entrance to some other cavity or space: such as
a
: the central cavity of the bony labyrinth of the inner ear or the parts (such as the saccule and utricle) of the membranous labyrinth that it contains
b
: the part of the left ventricle below the aortic orifice
c
: the space between the labia minora containing the orifice of the urethra
d
: the part of the mouth cavity outside the teeth and gums
3
: a course that offers access (as to something new)
vestibuled adjective

Examples of vestibule in a Sentence

please leave your wet boots in the vestibule
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Secure vestibules weren’t initially part of the 2020 bond. Melanie Asmar, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2025 Photo : Nolasco Studios Double wood and glass doors open into an entry vestibule. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 3 Mar. 2025 Several safety measures are in place at Nashville schools in the district, including shatter-resistant film or security vestibules at the entrance of a school to prevent someone from coming inside, according to Braisted, who could not comment on the exact security features at Antioch High School. Amanda Musa, CNN, 1 Feb. 2025 Stadium Upgrades While the first Gladiator never required a full entry to the emperor’s box, for the second movie the team built an elaborate grand staircase leading to a vestibule, along with an exterior. Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vestibule

Word History

Etymology

Latin vestibulum forecourt

First Known Use

1726, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of vestibule was in 1726

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vestibule.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vestibule. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

vestibule

noun
ves·​ti·​bule ˈves-tə-ˌbyü(ə)l How to pronounce vestibule (audio)
: a hall or room between the outer door and the inside part of a building

Medical Definition

vestibule

noun
ves·​ti·​bule ˈves-tə-ˌbyül How to pronounce vestibule (audio)
: any of various bodily cavities especially when serving as or resembling an entrance to some other cavity or space: as
a(1)
: the central cavity of the bony labyrinth of the ear
(2)
: the parts of the membranous labyrinth comprising the utricle and the saccule and contained in the cavity of the bony labyrinth
b
: the space between the labia minora containing the orifice of the urethra
c
: the part of the left ventricle of the heart immediately below the aortic orifice
d
: the part of the mouth cavity outside the teeth and gums

More from Merriam-Webster on vestibule

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