bedroom English · revision 5165

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=1590|origins=en bed, en room}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈbed.rʊm/, /ˈbed.ruːm/, US /ˈbed.ruːm/, /ˈbed.rʊm/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a compound of [[bed]] and [[room]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Room in a bed, sleeping space: 1590 in the OED, the 1580s in Etymonline, a use of Shakespeare's.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A room meant to hold a bed, a sleeping room, is from 1616 in the OED, 1600 in MWU and the 1610s in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline) It replaced the earlier ''bedchamber'' (late 14th century), and Old English had bedbur and bedcofa.^(Etymonline) As an adjective, implying a sexual relationship, it is from 1915,^(OED 1989) and ''bedroom eyes'' is from 1901.^(Etymonline) MWU dates the adjective to 1900.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1590 – room in a bed.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1600 – a room for sleeping.^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1901 – ''bedroom eyes''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1915 – adjective, sexy.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A room for [[sleep]]ing in.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Relating to sex: ''bedroom scenes''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Inhabited by commuters: ''a bedroom suburb''.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[bedroomed]]

+ * [[master bedroom]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bed]]

+ * [[room]]

+ * [[bedchamber]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}