salon
SA-lon
Salon (noun) means a business offering beauty treatments such as hair styling, manicures, or skincare. Example: “She booked an appointment at the salon to get her hair cut before the wedding.”
noun
1
A business offering beauty treatments such as hair styling, manicures, or skincare.
"She booked an appointment at the salon to get her hair cut before the wedding."
"The salon offers manicures, facials and hair colouring at weekends."
"My sister works at a salon near the station."
2
A large, elegant room for receiving guests, or a gathering of people for cultured conversation.
"In eighteenth-century Paris, writers and philosophers met in fashionable salons to debate ideas."
"The countess held a weekly salon where artists and thinkers discussed music and books."
"Guests were shown into the grand salon, where a fire crackled and tea was served."
How to use salon
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost commonly a hair or beauty business today, though it originally meant an elegant social gathering room.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
hair salon
beauty salon
nail salon
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Word forms
- Plural
- salons
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She booked an appointment at the _____ to get her hair cut before the wedding.
Etymology
From French salon, "reception room," ultimately from Italian sala, "hall." A doublet of "saloon," which took a more informal, American turn in meaning.
Related words
Rhymes for salon
See all rhymes for salon →Frequently asked questions
What does “salon” mean?
The word “salon” means a business offering beauty treatments such as hair styling, manicures, or skincare. In plain terms, most commonly a hair or beauty business today, though it originally meant an elegant social gathering room.
How do you pronounce “salon”?
“Salon” is pronounced SA-lon (/səˈlɑn/ in IPA).
How do you use “salon” in a sentence?
Here is “salon” used in a sentence: “She booked an appointment at the salon to get her hair cut before the wedding.”
What part of speech is “salon”?
“Salon” is a noun.
Where does the word “salon” come from?
The word “salon” comes from French. From French salon, "reception room," ultimately from Italian sala, "hall." A doublet of "saloon," which took a more informal, American turn in meaning.
Is “salon” a common word?
“Salon” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “salon” have?
“Salon” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a business offering beauty treatments such as hair styling, manicures, or skincare.
What is the difference between a "salon" and a "saloon"?
A salon is a business offering beauty treatments, or an elegant reception room or cultured gathering. A saloon is a different word, meaning a bar or public drinking place in American English, or a type of enclosed car in British English.
What is the difference between a salon and a spa?
A salon focuses on beauty and grooming treatments such as hair styling, manicures, and skincare. A spa focuses more on relaxation and wellness, offering treatments like massage and hydrotherapy, though some venues combine both.
What did "salon" mean historically?
Historically, a salon was a large, elegant room for receiving guests. The word also names a gathering of people, often hosted in such a room, who met for cultured conversation about art, literature, and ideas.
What kinds of salon are there?
Common types include a hair salon, a beauty salon, and a nail salon, all offering grooming or beauty treatments. In the older sense, a "literary salon" is a gathering for cultured discussion rather than a business.
