corner
KAW-nuh
Corner (noun) means the point where two lines, edges, or walls meet. Example: “She hit her hip on the corner of the table.”
noun
1
The point where two lines, edges, or walls meet.
"She hit her hip on the corner of the table."
"We put the tall lamp in the corner of the room."
"Fold down the corner of the page so you remember where you stopped."
2
The place where two streets meet.
"Meet me on the corner of Fifth and Main."
"There is a small bakery on the corner near my house."
"Turn left at the next corner and the station is straight ahead."
3
A difficult or awkward situation with limited options.
"His own lies had backed him into a corner."
"With no savings left, she felt she was in a tight corner."
"The manager found himself in a corner when both suppliers refused to help."
verb
1
To force someone or something into a position with no escape.
"The cat cornered the mouse behind the fridge."
"Reporters cornered the minister outside the lift and fired questions at her."
"The children cornered the kitten under the sofa, and it hissed loudly."
2
To gain enough control over a market to influence prices.
"The company tried to corner the market on rare earth metals."
"One firm was accused of trying to corner the market in flour."
"Investors worried that a single trader had cornered the supply of coffee beans."
3
To turn while driving or moving along a curved path.
"The sports car corners beautifully at high speed."
"The bus cornered slowly on the icy road."
"Cyclists lean inwards as they corner at speed."
How to use corner
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWhere two lines or streets meet, or figuratively a tight, hard-to-escape spot.
Common mistake
To "corner the market" means to dominate it commercially, not literally to occupy a physical corner.
Common pairings
around the corner
corner the market
cut corners
cornered animal
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Word forms
- Plural
- corners
- Third person singular
- corners
- Past tense
- cornered
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She hit her hip on the _____ of the table.
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman "corner," ultimately from Latin "cornu" ("horn," and by extension "point" or "tip").
Related words
Rhymes for corner
See all rhymes for corner →Frequently asked questions
What does “corner” mean?
The word “corner” means the point where two lines, edges, or walls meet. In plain terms, where two lines or streets meet, or figuratively a tight, hard-to-escape spot.
How do you pronounce “corner”?
“Corner” is pronounced KAW-nuh (/ˈkɔɹnɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “corner” in a sentence?
Here is “corner” used in a sentence: “She hit her hip on the corner of the table.”
What is another word for “corner”?
Words with a similar meaning to “corner” include angle, bend, cranny, hern, hideaway and hirn.
What part of speech is “corner”?
Depending on how it is used, “corner” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “corner” come from?
The word “corner” comes from Latin. From Anglo-Norman "corner," ultimately from Latin "cornu" ("horn," and by extension "point" or "tip").
Is “corner” a common word?
“Corner” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “corner” have?
“Corner” has 6 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the point where two lines, edges, or walls meet.
What is the difference between a corner and an edge?
An edge is a line where two surfaces or sides meet, running along a length — like the edge of a table. A corner is the single point where those edges or lines come together, such as the pointed spot where two table edges join. Edges are lines; corners are points.
What is the difference between a corner and an angle?
A corner is the physical point where two lines, edges, or walls actually meet. An angle is the measure of the amount of turn or opening between them, given in degrees. So a room has a corner you can touch, and that corner forms a ninety-degree angle.
What are the types of corners?
Corners are often described as inside (concave) or outside (convex) — the inner corner of a room versus the outer corner of a box. In geometry a corner is called a vertex, and everyday speech adds street corners, page corners, and the corners of the mouth or eyes.
What is an example of a corner?
Everyday examples include the corner of a room where two walls meet, a street corner where two roads cross, the corner of a page you fold to mark your place, and the corner of a table. Each is a point where lines or edges come together.
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