foyer

noun

foy·​er ˈfȯi(-ə)r How to pronounce foyer (audio) ˈfȯi-ˌ(y)ā How to pronounce foyer (audio)
also ˈfwä-ˌyā
Synonyms of foyer
: an anteroom or lobby especially of a theater
also : an entrance hallway : vestibule

Synonyms of foyer

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Examples of foyer in a Sentence

theatergoers crowded the foyer during the play's intermission leave your muddy boots in the foyer and come into the house
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In 2022, Joshua Cain and his partner, André Reyes, stepped into the foyer of the home on Monrovia’s South Ivy Avenue and gaped in wonder. — Dakota Kim, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026 Renovated in 2005 at a cost of $8 million, the intimate 17-room hotel displays the trappings of Europe’s grandest hotels, starting with an impressive foyer with a Murano glass chandelier shaped like Constantin Brancusi’s infinity column. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026 Five portraits by Gordon Parks, the photographer acclaimed for documenting African American life throughout the Civil Rights Era, frame the foyer inside Usher’s gracious Atlanta home. — Jewel Wicker, Architectural Digest, 4 Aug. 2026 Inside the foyer, five portraits from Civil Rights era photographer Gordon Parks grace the walls. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for foyer

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, fireplace, from Vulgar Latin *focarium, from Latin focus hearth

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foyer was in 1833

Rhymes for foyer

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Browse Nearby Words

foy boat
foyer
Foyle
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Cite this Entry

“Foyer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foyer. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

foyer

noun
foy·​er ˈfȯi(-ə)r How to pronounce foyer (audio) ˈfȯi-ˌ(y)ā How to pronounce foyer (audio)
1
: a lobby especially in a theater
2
: an entrance hallway : vestibule

More from Merriam-Webster on foyer

Nglish: Translation of foyer for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about foyer

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