WordValegallery
a room or building for displaying works of art
In more detail
1. (noun) a room or building where art is displayed and sold
2. (noun) the upper floor with seats in a theater or concert hall
3. (noun) a long narrow room or passage, often in a building
4. (noun) a covered walkway along the outside of a building
Examples
- We visited an art gallery in the city center to see the new paintings.
- People in the gallery upstairs had a good view of the stage.
- The historic house has a long gallery connecting the two wings.
How to use gallery
Gallery most commonly refers to a space where art is displayed and viewed, though it also describes the upper seating area in theaters or long interior/exterior passages. In theater, 'the gallery' or 'the gods' traditionally housed cheaper seats. The phrase 'play to the gallery' means to perform for popular approval rather than artistic merit.
Common phrases
- art gallery
- photo gallery
- gallery owner
- gallery walls
- play to the gallery
- gallery space
Synonyms
museum · exhibition space · balcony · corridor · passage
Word family
gallerist (noun) · gallerie (archaic noun)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse 'gallery' with 'balcony'—while a gallery in a theater is technically a type of balcony, gallery is the more specific term for that theatrical context, and not all balconies are galleries.
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