corner table: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral
Quick answer
What does “corner table” mean?
A table placed in the corner of a room, designed to fit snugly in that specific spatial configuration.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A table placed in the corner of a room, designed to fit snugly in that specific spatial configuration.
A specific table designed to occupy a corner space; can also refer to the specific seating arrangement around such a table, implying a degree of privacy or separation within a larger space like a restaurant.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical difference; the object is identical. Potential minor differences in describing the table's shape (e.g., 'quarter-round' vs. 'corner table' for the furniture type).
Connotations
Connotations (secluded, intimate, possibly undesirable) are largely shared. In restaurant contexts, 'table in the corner' is equally common in both dialects.
Frequency
Equally common and understood in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “corner table” in a Sentence
We sat at the corner table.They reserved a corner table for four.The waiter led them to a corner table.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “corner table” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They managed to corner the last free table.
American English
- We tried to corner a good table by the window.
adjective
British English
- It's a lovely corner-table spot.
American English
- They offer corner-table seating.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Can refer to a meeting at a secluded table in a restaurant or café.
Academic
Rare in academic texts; may appear in descriptive prose or sociological studies of space.
Everyday
Common in descriptions of homes, restaurants, and café seating.
Technical
In furniture design, refers to a specific type of table designed to fit a 90-degree corner.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “corner table”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “corner table”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “corner table”
- Using 'corner's table' (possessive).
- Confusing with 'table corner'.
- Saying 'table in a corner' which is descriptively fine but less fixed as a compound noun.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is typically written as two separate words (an open compound noun), though it can be hyphenated (corner-table) when used as a modifier before another noun (e.g., a corner-table reservation).
No. 'Corner table' is a noun phrase. However, the verb 'to corner' can be used idiomatically with 'table' (e.g., 'to corner a table' means to secure or get possession of a table).
Very little practical difference in everyday speech. 'Corner table' can sound slightly more like a fixed type of furniture, while 'table in the corner' is purely descriptive of its location. They are often interchangeable.
Often, yes. Furniture designed specifically as a 'corner table' is typically triangular, quarter-round, or shaped to fit flush against two walls, making use of often-wasted corner space.
A table placed in the corner of a room, designed to fit snugly in that specific spatial configuration.
Corner table is usually neutral in register.
Corner table: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɔː.nə ˈteɪ.bəl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɔːr.nɚ ˈteɪ.bəl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To be given the corner table (can imply being sidelined or ignored).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a square room. A CORNER is where two walls meet. A CORNER TABLE is hugged by those two walls.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE CORNER AS A PLACE OF PRIVACY/OBSERVATION/SECLUSION ("They took their conversation to the corner table").
Practice
Quiz
What is the most likely connotation of 'the corner table' in a busy restaurant?