parloir

Parloir is a term used in French to denote a room designated for private conversation or the reception of visitors. In historical and architectural contexts, a parloir is a separate room within a dwelling, monastery, or castle where residents could receive guests, hold private audiences, or conduct confidences away from the main hall. The layout of large houses often placed the parloir near the chapel or dining suites, reflecting its function as a semi-public space.

In religious houses, the parloir served as a controlled space for lay visitors to meet members of the community, such as monks or nuns. In this setting the room might be used for counsel, confession, or formal interviews, subject to the rules of the order.

In modern usage, especially in France, parloir most commonly refers to the visiting room in a prison, where inmates meet family, friends, or legal representatives under regulated conditions. The term survives in prison administration and legal contexts, and is distinct from the public or communal spaces of the facility.

Etymology traces to Old French parloir, from parler meaning to speak, reflecting its original function as a place for spoken communication. In English, the exact spelling parloir is archaic or historical, with parlor or parlour as the contemporary equivalents.

Related terms include parlour/parlor, a room in a house used for receiving guests.