reservation

UK: /ˌrɛzə^rˈveɪʃ^ən/ US: /ˌrɛzɚˈveɪʃən/ ,(rez′ər vā′shən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

res•er•va•tion /ˌrɛzɚˈveɪʃən/   n. 

1. the act of creating a doubt in one's mind or making an exception in one's thinking:
   [uncountable] to recommend without reservation.
2. a doubt in one's mind or an exception in one's thinking:
   [countable] I accept what he says, but with some reservations.
3. [countable] a tract of public land set apart for a special purpose, esp. for the use of Native American people.
4. [countable] an arrangement to set aside something for guaranteed use at a later time, as a room in a hotel, a seat on an airplane, or a place at a restaurant.

See -serv-².

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

res•er•va•tion  (rez′ər vā′shən), n. 

1. the act of keeping back, withholding, or setting apart.
2. the act of making an exception or qualification.
3. an exception or qualification made expressly or tacitly:
   to accept something, but with inner reservations.
4. a tract of public land set apart for a special purpose, as for the use of an Indian tribe.
5. an arrangement to secure accommodations at a restaurant or hotel, on a boat or plane, etc.
6. the record kept or assurance given of such an arrangement:
   Sorry, the hotel has no reservation under that name.

• Middle French reservation, equivalent. to reserv(er) to reserve + -ation -ation
• Middle English reservacioun 1350–1400

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

reservation / ˌrɛzəˈveɪʃən/ noun

1. the act or an instance of reserving
2. something reserved, esp hotel accommodation, a seat on an aeroplane, in a theatre, etc
3. (often plural) a stated or unstated qualification of opinion that prevents one's wholehearted acceptance of a proposal, claim, statement, etc
4. an area of land set aside, esp (in the US) for Native American peoples
5. the strip of land between the two carriageways of a dual carriageway
6. the act or process of keeping back, esp for oneself; withholding
7. a right or interest retained by the grantor in property granted, conveyed, leased, etc, to another