showroom
UK[ˈʃəʊruːm]US[ˈʃoʊruːm]
n
a large room used for displaying goods, especially cars or furniture, for sale.
Morpheme Breakdown
show
room
show
room
Etymology
the word 'showroom' is a transparent compound formed from two native english elements. the first element, 'show', originates from the old english verb 'scēawian', which meant to look at or examine, a sense that evolved into the modern meaning of presenting something for viewing. the second element, 'room', derives from old english 'rūm', denoting space or an area. the compound logically emerged in the late 19th century to describe a dedicated space, typically within a commercial establishment, where merchandise is displayed for inspection by potential customers. its formation follows a straightforward pattern in english where two independent words combine to create a new, semantically clear concept.
Analysis
Structure: show + room
show (from old english scēawian, meaning 'to look at, inspect', functioning as a verb root indicating display); room (from old english rūm, meaning 'space', functioning as a noun root indicating an enclosed area).
Examples
we went to the car dealership to look at the latest models in the showroom.
the furniture showroom was beautifully arranged with complete living room sets.
the company's flagship store features a large showroom for its electronic products.