# Origin of term "drawing room" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 24, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-term-drawing-room/230965 "2004-02-24T20:22:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snuggles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Snuggles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snuggles)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-term-drawing-room/230965/1 "2004-02-24T20:22:03Z")
Hello all. First thread, please bare with me. I have been reading the play “The Physicists” by Friedrich Durrenmatt for my University english class. As you may or may not know, the entire play takes place in the _drawing room_. Of course, I am familiar with the definition of such, but my professor has assigned us to find out the **origin** of the term. I have been unsuccessful in attaining this information. I have looked in encyclopedias and dictionaries, but to no avail. Thus, I turn to you guys. Any help at all would be appreciated. (Google was also of no help by the way, however my search skills are not tremendous). My _guess_ is England, but I have no real idea. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-term-drawing-room/230965/2 "2004-02-24T20:29:02Z")
From the American Heritage Dictionary on Yahoo!: drawing room NOUN: 1. A large room in which guests are entertained. 2. A ceremonial reception. 3. A large private room on a railroad sleeping car. ETYMOLOGY: Short for earlier withdrawing room. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-term-drawing-room/230965/3 "2004-02-24T20:29:33Z")
I have always understood the term to come from “withdrawing room”, ie where the ladies “withdrew” to after the meal. I am trying to find a few cites for this on Google… Ah, here we are. The [dictionary](http://www.bartleby.com/61/35/D0383500.html) is your friend. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-term-drawing-room/230965/4 "2004-02-24T20:35:52Z")
It was originally the “withdrawing” room. You withdrew from the formal setting of the dining room to a room in which you could entertain visitors. It was applied to various rooms in various settings - sometimes for [men](http://www.pastfwrd.demon.co.uk/presteigne/house.html) and sometimes for [women](http://www.schools.ash.org.au/coominya/bellevue/withdrw.htm) and sometimes for [both](http://www.nps.gov/gewa/page4cwithdrwl.htm). I would rather “bear” with you than “bare” with you, however. ---
**Author:** ![Snuggles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Snuggles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snuggles)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-term-drawing-room/230965/5 "2004-02-24T20:55:22Z")
Woops, pardon the slip! Thank you all for the help so far. I have stumbled across the etymology where “drawing room” was formerly referred to as “withdrawing room”, but I wasn’t sure if that was really what the “origin” was or what. Thanks again, I am noting everyone’s advice! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-term-drawing-room/230965/6 "2004-02-24T21:00:12Z")
If you’re looking for a detailed etymology, I highly recommend locating a copy of the Oxford English Dictionary, which will have quotations of early usages and the like. A good library should have a copy.