A kiosk is a small, freestanding booth or structure where someone sells things or provides information. You've probably seen kiosks at the mall selling phone cases, pretzels, or sunglasses. Unlike a full store with walls and a door, a kiosk is usually open on at least one side, so customers can walk right up to it.

Today, kiosks serve all kinds of practical purposes. At airports, you might use a check-in kiosk (a computer screen where you print your boarding pass yourself). Libraries have kiosks for checking out books. Museums place information kiosks around their exhibits so visitors can learn more.

Some kiosks are temporary, like a lemonade stand at a fair. Others are permanent fixtures in shopping centers or subway stations. What makes something a kiosk is its size and openness: it's smaller than a regular store and designed for quick, convenient transactions. The person working at a kiosk usually stands rather than sits, and the whole setup can sometimes be moved or taken down when needed.