common room

A typical Sixth form common room.

The phrase common room is used especially in British and Canadian English to describe a type of shared lounge, most often found in dormitories, at (for example) universities, military bases, hospitals, rest homes, hostels, and even minimum-security prisons. It is generally connected to several private rooms, and may incorporate a bathroom.

Common rooms are generally much more spacious than the adjoining private rooms, and generally contain couches, televisions, coffee tables, and other generic lounge furniture.

Depending on its location and purpose of use, a common room may be known by another name. For instance, in mental hospitals, where access is usually restricted to the daytime hours, this type of room is often called a "day room".

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