From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Saloon \Sa*loon"\ (s[.a]*l[=oo]n"), n. [F. salon (cf. It.
salone), fr. F. salle a large room, a hall, of German or
Dutch origin; cf. OHG. sal house, hall, G. saal; akin to AS.
sael, sele, D. zaal, Icel. salr, Goth. saljan to dwell, and
probably to L. solum ground. Cf. {Sole} of the foot, {Soil}
ground, earth.]
1. A spacious and elegant apartment for the reception of
company or for works of art; a hall of reception, esp. a
hall for public entertainments or amusements; a large room
or parlor; as, the saloon of a steamboat.
[1913 Webster]
The gilden saloons in which the first magnates of
the realm . . . gave banquets and balls. --Macaulay.
[1913 Webster]
2. Popularly, a public room for specific uses; esp., a
barroom or grogshop; as, a drinking saloon; an eating
saloon; a dancing saloon.
[1913 Webster]
We hear of no hells, or low music halls, or low
dancing saloons [at Athens.] --J. P.
Mahaffy.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
saloon
n 1: a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served
over a counter; "he drowned his sorrows in whiskey at the
bar" [syn: {barroom}, {bar}, {saloon}, {ginmill},
{taproom}]
2: tavern consisting of a building with a bar and public rooms;
often provides light meals [syn: {public house}, {pub},
{saloon}, {pothouse}, {gin mill}, {taphouse}]
3: a car that is closed and that has front and rear seats and
two or four doors [syn: {sedan}, {saloon}]
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