What does staffroom mean?
A staffroom is a room set aside for the employees of a workplace, school, or institution. It is a place where staff can take a break, eat, talk, make arrangements, or conduct informal business, rather than serving primarily as a customer-facing area. The term is particularly familiar in British and Commonwealth schools, where a staffroom may also be called a common room, and it is also widely understood in American workplaces, although the two-word form “staff room” is more frequent there. Although staffrooms vary greatly in size and facilities, they often include seating, refreshments, lockers, noticeboards, and sometimes a television. The word reflects the older British spelling pattern of joining staff and room, but both spellings are used in modern English.
nounA room in a workplace, school, or institution where staff members may rest, eat, socialize, or conduct informal business. The term is especially associated with schools and other workplaces.
- A room provided for staff to rest, eat, socialize, or conduct informal business.
"The teachers gathered in the staffroom during the short break between classes."
"The office has a comfortable staffroom with a kitchenette and a small television."
"A notice on the door of the staffroom announced the morning meeting."
"In many schools, the staffroom serves as the teachers' common room."
The plural adds -s to the complete compound.
"The new staffrooms are located beside the main offices."
The staffroom is where the people who keep a school running can finally sit down, recharge, and remember that they are people, not just staff.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does staffroom come from?
The word is an English compound formed from staff, meaning the employees or personnel of an organization, and room, meaning an enclosed space intended for a particular purpose. The combination developed in the vocabulary of workplaces and institutions, where a separate space for staff was a recognizable feature. Its meaning has broadened in some settings, especially schools, from a place for eating or relaxing to a general common room for staff interaction.
How staffroom is actually used
The one-word spelling is especially common in British English, while “staff room” is more common in American usage. In schools, the term may be used broadly for a teachers' lounge or common room.
Easily confused with staffroom
“Staff room” is generally the two-word spelling of the same term, although usage varies by region and institution.
A break room is a designated place for employees to take breaks, while a staffroom may also serve as a broader staff common room for meetings or informal work.