A small room where people can leave coats, bags, and other belongings, often found in theaters, schools, or public buildings.
Compound of 'cloak' (garment, from Old French 'cloque') and 'room' (Old English 'rum'). The word became common in British English in the 1800s for coat check areas.
In British English, a cloakroom can also mean a bathroom—which confuses American speakers—but the connection makes sense historically since cloakrooms had servants who'd help remove outerwear!
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