room

A room is an indoor space within a building, typically enclosed by walls and a ceiling, with a floor at the bottom. Rooms are usually entered through doors and may include windows or other openings for light and ventilation. They are defined by their function or use, such as living, sleeping, cooking, or bathing, and are distinguished from larger common areas or corridors by their self-contained nature.

The word room derives from Old English rum, meaning space or room to move. Over time it came to denote a specific enclosed area within a building. In modern usage, room can also refer to a capacity or opportunity, as in "there is room for one more."

Common types include living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, studies, and storage rooms. Special-purpose rooms occur in hospitals, schools, or office buildings, such as patient rooms, classrooms, conference rooms, and laboratories. Some buildings use open-plan layouts with fewer walls and more flexible, multi-use spaces.

Design and construction considerations address size and proportion, acoustics, lighting, heating, cooling, and ventilation. Doors and windows influence access and daylight, while furnishings and built-in features affect function and flow. Accessibility standards and safety codes aim to ensure rooms are usable by people with varied mobility.

In culture and architecture, rooms shape social interaction, privacy, and daily routines. The concept varies with climate, tradition, and technology, from separate, compartmentalized spaces to flexible, adaptable environments. Across contexts, a room serves as a defined, private or semi-private center for particular activities within a building.