A parlor is a formal room in a house where families traditionally received guests and visitors. In homes from the 1800s and early 1900s, the parlor was usually kept neat and tidy, reserved for special occasions like when the minister came to visit or when hosting a tea party. Families would display their nicest furniture, paintings, and decorations there. It was different from rooms used for everyday activities: you wouldn't do homework or eat snacks in the parlor.

The word also appears in the names of certain businesses. An ice cream parlor is a shop where people gather to enjoy ice cream and sundaes. A beauty parlor (sometimes called a salon) is where people get their hair cut and styled. These businesses borrowed the name because they wanted to feel welcoming and special, like being invited into someone's nice front room.

Today, most homes don't have formal parlors anymore. Modern families tend to use their living rooms and family rooms more casually. But you'll still encounter the word in older houses, historic sites, and classic books. When you read about characters gathering in the parlor in a novel set in Victorian times, picture the fanciest, most carefully arranged room in the house.