salon
gb/səlˈɑn/ us/səlˈɑn/
B1
English
~ 6200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
place for hair and beauty treatments
A business where people cut or style your hair, do your nails, or give you other beauty treatments.
Usage pattern:
to go to a [type] salon
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse “salon” with “saloon”. A “salon” is for beauty or hair care, but a “saloon” is a bar or an old-style drinking place. Spelling is important. Another mistake is using “salon” for any shop; it should only be used for beauty or hair-related services.
Synonyms
beauty parlor (Mainly American and somewhat old-fashioned; focuses more on women’s beauty treatments.)
|
hairdresser's (Especially British English; usually focuses only on hair, not on nails or other treatments.)
Antonyms
home (Used as an opposite in context: doing your own hair or nails at home instead of going to a professional salon.)
Collocations
hair salon
|beauty salon
|nail salon
|tanning salon
|high-end salon
|go to the salon
Themes
daily life
|appearance
|services
|daily_life
|health
Examples
- I booked an appointment at the new hair salon on Main Street.
- She spends Saturday mornings at the nail salon getting a manicure.
- The salon specializes in natural hair treatments and organic products.
- After the wedding trial at the beauty salon, she finally chose a hairstyle.
- He works in an upscale salon that serves celebrity clients.
Learner examples
- I go to the salon every month to cut my hair.
- She found a cheap nail salon near her office.
- My sister works in a small beauty salon.
- We waited in the salon while my friend got her hair done.
- This salon is very clean and the staff are friendly.
Noun
formal
B2
entity
2
large formal reception room
A big, fancy room in a house or hotel where guests are received and talked to.
Usage pattern:
a grand salon in [a building]
Common mistake:
Learners may think this meaning is the same as the beauty-related ‘salon’. In this sense, it describes a type of room in a large or elegant home or hotel, not a business for hair or beauty treatments.
Synonyms
drawing room (Traditional British term; similar idea but can sound slightly old-fashioned or upper-class.)
Antonyms
kitchen (In descriptions of houses, the kitchen is a working, informal space, contrasting with the formal, guest-facing salon.)
Collocations
grand salon
|hotel salon
|elegant salon
|reception in the salon
|the main salon
Themes
homes
|travel
|culture
|housing
|relationships
Examples
- Guests were welcomed into the grand salon overlooking the gardens.
- The hotel’s main salon is decorated with crystal chandeliers and antique furniture.
- They gathered in the front salon before moving through to dinner.
- The ambassador held informal talks in a private salon of the residence.
- Paintings of the family’s ancestors lined the walls of the salon.
Learner examples
- The party was in a large salon on the first floor.
- We waited for the manager in the hotel’s main salon.
- The salon was full of soft chairs and big paintings.
- They showed us into a quiet salon to have coffee.
- The house has a small salon for special guests.
Noun
formal
C1
event
3
social gathering for serious discussion
A meeting in someone’s home where people come together to talk about books, art, or ideas.
Usage pattern:
to host a [topic] salon
Common mistake:
Learners may wrongly assume this meaning is about beauty services because of the common ‘hair salon’ sense. Here it is only about a meeting for conversation and ideas, usually in a private home, and is used mostly in formal or cultural contexts.
Synonyms
discussion group (More general and less elegant; does not suggest the same social or historical atmosphere as “salon”.)
Antonyms
rally (A rally is a large, often noisy public gathering, the opposite of the small, intimate, reflective atmosphere of a salon.)
Collocations
literary salon
|political salon
|Parisian salon
|host a salon
|salon culture
Themes
culture
|education
|politics
|arts_entertainment
|communication
Examples
- Her apartment became known as a literary salon for young writers and critics.
- The political salon brought together journalists, academics, and activists every Thursday night.
- In the eighteenth century, salons played a central role in shaping public opinion.
- They are trying to revive the tradition of the Parisian salon in a modern context.
- The group began as a casual book club but evolved into a serious intellectual salon.
Learner examples
- She started a small literary salon in her living room.
- At the salon, guests talked about art and politics.
- The salon meets every month to discuss new books.
- In history, many ideas began in private salons.
- He hopes his home will become a modern salon for local writers.
Noun
formal
C2
event
4
official public art exhibition
A big art show organized by an important art group or academy, where many artists show their work.
Usage pattern:
to exhibit at the Salon
Common mistake:
Learners may not recognize that this meaning is mainly historical and tied to specific art institutions, especially in France. It should not be used to describe any modern gallery show unless the show itself uses the word “Salon” in its official name.
Synonyms
art exhibition (General term; does not include the historical, institutional, or judged character strongly implied by “Salon”.)
Antonyms
permanent collection (A permanent collection is always on display, whereas a Salon is a temporary, special exhibition event.)
Collocations
the Paris Salon
|accepted by the Salon
|Salon des Refusés
|exhibit at the Salon
|Salon jury
Themes
art
|history
|culture
|arts_entertainment
|education
Examples
- Having a painting accepted by the Paris Salon was once essential for an artist’s career.
- The exhibition traces how the Salon shaped public taste in nineteenth-century France.
- Several works rejected by the official Salon were later shown at the Salon des Refusés.
- Impressionist painters often struggled to gain recognition from the Salon jury.
- The museum recreated a typical Salon hanging to illustrate how crowded the displays were.
Learner examples
- In the past, many famous artists wanted to show their work at the Salon.
- The Salon was an important art exhibition in Paris.
- Some new styles of painting were first rejected by the Salon.
- The book explains how the Salon helped some artists and hurt others.
- They visited a museum room arranged like an old Salon.
Grammar
Dictionary form
salon
IPA
GB/səlˈɑn/
US/səlˈɑn/
Syllables & stress
salon (1 syllable)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: salon
- Plural: salons
Word family
Forms
salons
noun
Expressions
beauty salon
1/bjˈuti səlˈɑn/
fixed phrase
place for many beauty treatments
A place where people go for many beauty services, such as hair, skin, and makeup treatments.
Examples
- She runs a beauty salon that offers facials, waxing, and massages.
- The hotel has a small beauty salon on the ground floor.
- He bought a gift card for his mother to use at her favorite beauty salon.
hair salon
1/hˈɛɹ səlˈɑn/
fixed phrase
place for professional hair care
A business where you go to get your hair washed, cut, or styled.
Examples
- I finally found a hair salon that understands curly hair.
- There’s a new hair salon opening next to the supermarket.
- She owns a small hair salon with three chairs and two assistants.
literary salon
1/lˈɪtɚˌɛɹi səlˈɑn/
fixed phrase
formal
gathering to discuss literature
A regular meeting where people come together, usually in someone’s home, to talk about books and writing.
Examples
- The writer hosts a monthly literary salon for poets and novelists.
- Her living room became a famous literary salon in the city.
- The festival includes a literary salon where authors meet their readers.
nail salon
1/nˈeɪl səlˈɑn/
fixed phrase
place for nails and manicures
A shop where people go to get their fingernails and toenails cleaned, painted, or decorated.
Examples
- The nail salon was fully booked before the holiday weekend.
- She spent the afternoon at the nail salon getting a pedicure.
- Many nail salons now offer quick walk-in services.
political salon
1/pəlˈɪtɪkəl səlˈɑn/
fixed phrase
formal
gathering to discuss politics
A regular meeting, often in a private home, where people discuss politics and public issues.
Examples
- The diplomat’s home turned into an influential political salon.
- Young activists started a political salon to debate new policy ideas.
- In some cities, political salons bring together journalists and community leaders.
tanning salon
1/tˈænɪŋ səlˈɑn/
fixed phrase
place for artificial tanning
A place where people pay to use special machines or beds to make their skin darker.
Examples
- He goes to a tanning salon before his winter vacation.
- The city introduced new safety rules for tanning salons.
- She used to work evenings at a local tanning salon.