corridor
A corridor is a long hallway in a building that lets you walk between different rooms.
Explanation at your level:
A corridor is a long path in a building. You walk in the corridor to go to your room. It is like a hallway. When you are at school, you walk in the corridor to get to your class.
A corridor is a long, narrow space that connects rooms. In a hotel, you walk down the corridor to find your room number. It is a very useful part of any big building.
A corridor is an essential architectural feature that allows for movement between different areas. You will often see doors along a corridor. It is synonymous with 'hallway,' but 'corridor' is often used for larger buildings like offices or schools.
Beyond its literal meaning, 'corridor' is used in various contexts. For instance, 'corridors of power' refers to influential political spaces. It is a formal term that implies a structured, organized building layout.
In advanced usage, 'corridor' can refer to a strip of land or a specific route, such as an 'air corridor' for planes or a 'transport corridor' for trade. It represents a channel of movement. Its etymological roots in 'running' highlight its primary function as a transit zone.
At the C2 level, one recognizes the nuance between 'hallway' (domestic) and 'corridor' (institutional/structural). It can also function metaphorically to describe a progression of events or a specific zone of influence. Its usage in political discourse, such as 'corridors of power,' demonstrates how a simple architectural term can evolve into a potent symbol of institutional hierarchy and decision-making.
Word in 30 Seconds
- A corridor is a long passage in a building.
- It connects different rooms together.
- It is also known as a hallway.
- The word comes from Italian meaning 'runner'.
Think of a corridor as the main artery of a building. Just like blood flows through your veins to get to your heart, people flow through corridors to get to where they need to go.
It is essentially a hallway, but the word corridor often sounds a bit more formal or structural. You will find them in schools, hospitals, hotels, and large office buildings. They are the paths that keep everything connected.
The word corridor comes to us from the Italian word corridore, which means 'a runner.' This makes perfect sense because a corridor is a place where people run or walk to get somewhere else!
It entered the English language in the early 17th century. It shares the same root as the word corridor in French and corredor in Spanish. Historically, it evolved to describe a gallery or passage that allowed people to move along the side of a building, often outdoors, before moving inside.
You use corridor when describing the interior layout of a building. It is very common in professional or academic settings.
Common phrases include 'down the corridor' or 'a long, narrow corridor.' While 'hallway' is often used in casual home settings, 'corridor' is the preferred term for large, institutional buildings like hospitals or government offices.
1. Corridor of power: Refers to the places where important political decisions are made. Example: 'He spent years walking the corridors of power in Washington.'
2. A corridor of uncertainty: A cricket term for a difficult area to bowl. Example: 'The bowler kept the ball in the corridor of uncertainty.'
3. Down the corridor: Used to mean 'later in time' or 'further along in a process.' Example: 'We will deal with that issue further down the corridor.'
4. Corridor talk: Informal conversations that happen between people in a hallway. Example: 'Much of the real work happens in corridor talk.'
5. The corridor effect: A psychological term for how people perceive space. Example: 'The design creates a corridor effect that makes the room feel smaller.'
The word corridor is a countable noun. You can have one corridor or many corridors. It is usually preceded by an article like 'the' or 'a'.
In terms of pronunciation, the stress is on the first syllable: COR-ri-dor. British English often drops the 'r' sound at the end, while American English pronounces it more clearly. It rhymes with words like 'matador' and 'tor'.
Fun Fact
It came from the Italian word 'corridore', meaning someone who runs.
Pronunciation Guide
Sounds like 'KOR-ri-door' with a soft end.
Sounds like 'KOR-ri-der' with a clear 'r' at the end.
Common Errors
- Mispronouncing the 'r's
- Stress on the wrong syllable
- Adding an extra 'o' sound
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy to read
Common noun
Easy to pronounce
Clear sound
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Grammar to Know
Articles
The corridor
Prepositions
Down the corridor
Countable Nouns
Two corridors
Examples by Level
The classroom is down the corridor.
The room for learning is along the hallway.
Preposition 'down' shows direction.
I walk in the corridor.
I am walking in the hallway.
Simple present tense.
The corridor is long.
The hallway is not short.
Adjective describing the noun.
Where is the corridor?
Asking for the location of the hallway.
Question word 'where'.
This is a clean corridor.
The hallway is not dirty.
Adjective placement.
The door is in the corridor.
The door is located in the hallway.
Preposition 'in'.
Run in the corridor.
Move fast in the hallway.
Imperative verb.
The corridor has lights.
There are lights in the hallway.
Subject-verb agreement.
The hotel corridor was very quiet.
She walked down the long corridor.
Please do not run in the school corridor.
The offices are located along the main corridor.
He waited in the corridor for his friend.
The corridor connects the two buildings.
There are many doors in this corridor.
The corridor is painted blue.
The hospital corridor was crowded with people.
We met in the corridor and had a quick chat.
The security camera is at the end of the corridor.
She found her way through the maze-like corridor.
The corridor provides access to all the bedrooms.
Maintenance work is happening in the north corridor.
He paced the corridor while waiting for news.
The fire alarm rang throughout the entire corridor.
The corridors of power are often hidden from the public.
The new trade corridor will boost the local economy.
She felt a draft coming from the dark corridor.
The design features a central corridor with rooms on both sides.
They are planning to expand the air corridor for international flights.
The corridor effect makes the narrow passage feel claustrophobic.
He was stopped in the corridor for an impromptu meeting.
The architect emphasized the importance of a well-lit corridor.
The diplomatic corridor was buzzing with rumors of a new treaty.
The humanitarian corridor allowed aid to reach the refugees.
His influence extends far beyond the corridors of his own department.
The building's layout relies on a complex system of interlocking corridors.
The corridor of uncertainty in the cricket match was expertly managed.
They established a wildlife corridor to protect the migrating animals.
The corridor serves as a vital artery for the building's infrastructure.
She navigated the labyrinthine corridors of the old mansion.
The corridors of history are filled with the echoes of forgotten empires.
The proposed ecological corridor aims to reconnect fragmented habitats.
He was a master of navigating the corridors of power to achieve his goals.
The architectural plan prioritizes the corridor as a transition space.
The corridor of the theater was lined with portraits of famous actors.
The economic corridor between the two nations has fostered significant growth.
The corridor acts as a liminal space between the private and public spheres.
The strategic importance of this transport corridor cannot be overstated.
Common Collocations
Idioms & Expressions
"corridors of power"
places where important decisions are made
He works in the corridors of power.
formal"corridor of uncertainty"
a difficult situation or area
The team is in the corridor of uncertainty.
formal"down the corridor"
at a later time
We will address this down the corridor.
casual"corridor talk"
informal, unofficial discussion
Ignore the corridor talk.
casual"corridor effect"
a specific way a space influences behavior
The design creates a corridor effect.
formalEasily Confused
They are synonyms.
Hallway is more domestic.
Use hallway for home, corridor for office.
Both are paths.
Aisle is for seats.
Walk down the aisle in a plane.
Both are ways.
Passage is more general.
A passage can be outside.
Both are long.
Gallery is for art.
The art gallery is long.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + walk + down + the + corridor
I walk down the corridor.
The + corridor + leads + to + room
The corridor leads to the room.
There + is + a + corridor
There is a long corridor.
Meet + in + the + corridor
We will meet in the corridor.
Along + the + corridor + are + doors
Along the corridor are many doors.
Word Family
Nouns
Adjectives
Related
How to Use It
7
Formality Scale
Common Mistakes
A corridor is a passage, not a room.
Corridor is a building part; car door is a vehicle part.
You are inside the space.
Corridors are usually inside.
It has two 'r's in the middle.
Tips
Memory Palace
Walk through your house in your mind and name the corridor.
Native Speaker Tip
Use 'hallway' at home and 'corridor' at work.
Cultural Insight
Large schools always have corridors.
Grammar Shortcut
Always use 'the' before corridor.
Say It Right
Focus on the COR-ri-dor rhythm.
Don't Make This Mistake
Don't call a room a corridor.
Did You Know?
It means 'runner' in Italian.
Study Smart
Draw a building map and label the corridors.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
COR-rid-or: COR (core) + RID (run) + OR (door). A core place to run to a door.
Visual Association
Imagine a long hallway with many doors.
Word Web
Challenge
Describe the corridor in your building.
Word Origin
Italian
Original meaning: a runner
Cultural Context
None.
Used in all English-speaking countries for schools and offices.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
at school
- run in the corridor
- meet in the corridor
- lockers in the corridor
at work
- down the office corridor
- corridor talk
- meet in the corridor
at a hotel
- walk down the hotel corridor
- find my room in the corridor
- quiet corridor
in politics
- corridors of power
- backroom corridor talk
- political corridor
Conversation Starters
"How many corridors are in your school?"
"Do you prefer a wide or narrow corridor?"
"Have you ever gotten lost in a building corridor?"
"What do you think of when you hear 'corridors of power'?"
"Are the corridors in your office building bright?"
Journal Prompts
Describe the corridor of your childhood home.
Write about a time you walked down a long, scary corridor.
Imagine a building with no corridors. How would it work?
What does 'corridors of power' mean to you?
Frequently Asked Questions
8 questionsYes, they are synonyms.
No, it is for buildings.
C-O-R-R-I-D-O-R.
Yes, you can have corridors.
Italian.
It is more formal than hallway.
Yes, but hallway is more common.
Corridors.
Test Yourself
The ___ is long and narrow.
A corridor is a long, narrow space.
Which word means a passage in a building?
Corridor is the passage.
A corridor is usually a room where you sleep.
A corridor is a passage, not a bedroom.
Word
Meaning
Corridor is a synonym for hallway.
The order is 'walk down the corridor'.
Score: /5
Summary
A corridor is the path that connects the rooms of a building.
- A corridor is a long passage in a building.
- It connects different rooms together.
- It is also known as a hallway.
- The word comes from Italian meaning 'runner'.
Memory Palace
Walk through your house in your mind and name the corridor.
Native Speaker Tip
Use 'hallway' at home and 'corridor' at work.
Cultural Insight
Large schools always have corridors.
Grammar Shortcut
Always use 'the' before corridor.
Example
This is an example with corridor.
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Learn it in Context
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