third place en · NOUN
Etymology
Coined by American urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg in 1989.
Meanings
-
(qualifier:urban studies) A social space separate from the two usual social environments of home (“first place”) and the workplace (“second place”), such as a bar or public library.
The “third place” is a public, social place where you spend time that is neither home nor work. Whether it is publicly run, like a library, or a commercial venture, it is, above all, shared – a site of community-building and interaction with others.
2018 September 4, Elle Hunt, “Tell us about your 'third place' – where you connect with your community”, in The Guardian:The rise of mobile and drive-through along with lives lived online raises questions about the role of coffee houses as a “third place” where people find community.
2025 June 14, Gregory Meyer, “Starbucks hopes to achieve much needed caffeine boost by hiring more baristas”, in FT Weekend (Companies & Markets section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 11:
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see third, place; especially, the third-best showing in a contest, such as a race.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| third places | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (6)
pl trzecie miejsce (A social space separate from the two usual social environments of home and workplace) · sh treće mjesto (A social space separate from the two usual social environments of home and workplace) · fr tiers-lieu (A social space separate from the two usual social environments of home and workplace) · de dritter Ort (A social space separate from the two usual social environments of home and workplace) · ru тре́тье ме́сто (A social space separate from the two usual social environments of home and workplace) · fi kolmas paikka (A social space separate from the two usual social environments of home and workplace)