parlor
gb/pˈɑɹlɚ/ us/pˈɑɹlɚ/
B2
English
~ 25300
szalon, fagylaltozó, szalon-, karosszékből okoskodó
NOUN
B2
1
szalon
B1
fagylaltozó
A2
Usage pattern:
a [type] parlor; at the [type] parlor
She opened a small tattoo parlor downtown with her best friend.
A legjobb barátnőjével nyitott egy kis tetoválószalont a belvárosban.
We met at the ice-cream parlor on the corner after the movie.
A film után a sarki fagylaltozóban találkoztunk.
The city is trying to close several illegal massage parlors in that neighborhood.
His aunt runs a beauty parlor out of the front room of her house.
Mourners gathered at the funeral parlor to pay their last respects.
Learner examples
We are waiting for you at the ice-cream parlor.
A fagylaltozóban várunk rád.
Her mother works in a beauty parlor on this street.
Az anyja ezen az utcán dolgozik egy szépségszalonban.
They want to open a small massage parlor near the hotel.
He got his first tattoo at a parlor near the station.
The family met at the funeral parlor before the ceremony.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "parlor" can be used alone for any shop (e.g., *"I went to the parlor"*). In modern English it is almost always used with another noun before it, like "tattoo parlor" or "beauty parlor." Also note the spelling difference: American English uses "parlor" and British English usually uses "parlour."
Meaning
Shop offering a specific service
Collocations
beauty parlor
|ice-cream parlor
|massage parlor
|tattoo parlor
|funeral parlor
|open a parlor
Synonyms
salon (Often sounds more modern or stylish, especially for hair and beauty services, while "parlor" can sound traditional or old-fashioned depending on context.)
Antonyms
factory (A factory is for making goods, while a parlor is for offering services or activities directly to customers.)
Themes
business
|daily life
|services
|daily_life
Definition
A shop or room for one main service, often named with another word before it, like a beauty parlor or ice-cream parlor.
A room or small business space where a particular service or activity is offered to customers, usually referred to by a compound such as "beauty parlor" or "tattoo parlor."
NOUN
C1
LITERARY
2
szalon
C1
Usage pattern:
in the parlor; the front parlor
The guests were shown into the front parlor and offered tea.
A vendégeket az utcafronti szalonba kísérték, és teával kínálták őket.
Old photographs of the family covered the walls of the parlor.
A szalon falait régi családi fényképek borították.
They kept the parlor tidy at all times in case visitors stopped by.
Her grandmother's parlor still has the original wallpaper from the 1920s.
The children were not allowed to play in the parlor, only in the kitchen and yard.
Learner examples
The family sits in the parlor when guests come.
A család a szalonban ül, amikor vendégek jönnek.
There is a large sofa in the parlor.
Van egy nagy kanapé a szalonban.
Her grandmother keeps her best things in the parlor.
They drink tea in the parlor on Sunday afternoon.
The children cannot play in the parlor because it is a special room.
Common mistake:
Learners may use "parlor" instead of the more natural modern term "living room." In everyday contemporary English, especially in speech, "living room" or "sitting room" is preferred; "parlor" is mainly found in older books or used for effect.
Meaning
Room in a home for guests
Collocations
front parlor
|best parlor
|sit in the parlor
|parlor furniture
|parlor window
Synonyms
living room ("Living room" is the normal modern word; "parlor" sounds old-fashioned or literary, and often suggests a more formal room.)
Antonyms
kitchen (In traditional homes, the parlor was for receiving guests, while the kitchen was for everyday work and family activity.)
Themes
home
|daily life
|housing
|daily_life
Definition
An old word for a formal sitting room in a home, used for talking with guests.
In a private house, a formal sitting room used mainly for receiving and entertaining guests; now somewhat old-fashioned.
NOUN
C2
INFORMAL
3
szalon-
C1
Usage pattern:
parlor [ideology/person]; parlor [role]
Critics dismissed him as a parlor socialist who had never worked a day in a factory.
A kritikusok szalonszocialistának nevezték, aki életében egy napot sem dolgozott gyárban.
The book attacks parlor radicals who talk about change but avoid any personal risk.
A könyv azokat a szalonradikálisokat támadja, akik változásról beszélnek, de minden személyes kockázatot kerülnek.
She didn’t want to be just a parlor feminist; she volunteered at the shelter every week.
He called their plan nothing more than a parlor revolution, designed to impress friends over wine.
The article contrasts parlor environmentalists with people actually living off the grid.
Learner examples
Some people call him a parlor socialist because he talks a lot but does not act.
Vannak, akik szalonszocialistának nevezik, mert sokat beszél, de nem cselekszik.
They say she is only a parlor feminist, not a real activist.
Azt mondják, csak szalonfeminista, nem igazi aktivista.
He does not want to be a parlor radical; he wants to do real work.
The writer attacks parlor liberals who just talk at dinner parties.
People use the phrase "parlor socialist" to criticize people who only speak but do not act.
Common mistake:
Learners may try to use "parlor" alone with this meaning (e.g., *"He is a parlor"*). In this sense, "parlor" only appears before another noun, such as "parlor socialist" or "parlor radical." It is not used by itself as a normal noun for a person.
Meaning
Only-talk, not-action environment (attributive)
Collocations
parlor socialist
|parlor liberal
|parlor radical
|parlor revolutionary
|parlor intellectual
Synonyms
armchair (as in "armchair socialist") ("Armchair" is more common today with the same critical idea; it sounds very similar in meaning to this use of "parlor.")
Antonyms
grassroots ("Grassroots" suggests real action and involvement among ordinary people, the opposite of ideas that stay in a comfortable parlor.)
Themes
politics
|opinion
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Used before another word to say someone only talks about ideas in a safe place and does not act in real life, for example a "parlor socialist."
Used before another noun, to criticize beliefs or activities as happening only in a safe, comfortable setting and not involving real-world action or commitment.
Grammar
Dictionary form
parlor
IPA
GB/pˈɑɹlɚ/
US/pˈɑɹlɚ/
Syllables & stress
par - lor (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (par)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: parlor
- Plural: parlors
Word family
Forms
parlors
noun
Related words
parlour
noun B2
Expressions
beauty parlor
1/bjˈuti pˈɑɹlɚ/
fixed phrase
Place for hair and beauty care
A place where people go to have their hair and face cared for, especially for women, like a hair and beauty shop.
Examples
- She spends Saturday mornings at the beauty parlor getting her hair done.
- Her aunt runs a small beauty parlor out of her house.
funeral parlor
1/fjˈunɚəl pˈɑɹlɚ/
fixed phrase
Business for funerals and viewings
A place where dead people are prepared for burial and where families can see the body and hold a service.
Examples
- The family gathered at the funeral parlor the night before the funeral.
- Flowers filled the room at the funeral parlor where the viewing was held.
ice-cream parlor
1/ˈaɪs kɹˈim pˈɑɹlɚ/
fixed phrase
Shop that sells ice cream
A small shop or room where you can buy and eat ice cream.
Examples
- After school, the kids go to the ice-cream parlor for cones.
- We found a cute old-fashioned ice-cream parlor near the beach.
massage parlor
1/məsˈɑʒ pˈɑɹlɚ/
fixed phrase
Place where massages are given
A business where people pay to get a massage.
Examples
- He works evenings at a massage parlor downtown.
- The city introduced new rules for all massage parlors to improve safety.
parlor game
1/pˈɑɹlɚ ɡˈeɪm/
fixed phrase
Simple social indoor game
A simple game people play together inside a house, often with talking or guessing and little or no equipment.
Examples
- They spent the evening playing parlor games like charades.
- The show turns politics into a kind of parlor game for viewers.
parlor trick
1/pˈɑɹlɚ tɹˈɪk/
fixed phrase
Small trick to impress people
A simple trick or special skill you do to surprise or amuse people, often at home or in a small group.
Examples
- He can balance a chair on his chin, but it’s really just a parlor trick.
- The app’s voice feature is more than a parlor trick; it’s actually useful.
tattoo parlor
1/tætˈu pˈɑɹlɚ/
fixed phrase
shop where tattoos are done
A shop or business where people go to get tattoos.
Examples
- They opened a new tattoo parlor near the train station.
- She got her first tattoo at a small tattoo parlor near campus.
- The tattoo parlor was clean and followed all health rules.
- The new tattoo parlor has very strict hygiene standards.
- He walked past the bright neon sign of a tattoo parlor.