Shields Folk: Saloon American? The Oxford English Dictionary says USA and is my only authority for the word being American when applied to a drinking bar. I deliberately said supposed because their first reference to it appearing in print is 1884, New York Herald, which seems late to me. You may have evidence of its earlier occurrence. Martin Ryan, thanks for "Meejum." It is one of those usages that, once explained, makes one wonder why one hadn't guessed the meaning. Fibula M, your posting about lounge makes me wonder where its meaning in Canada and some of the States for a drinking room for both sexes comes from. Both OED and Webster's have the definition of a public sitting room but drink is not mentioned. Some of these usages may have come over with the emigrations in the 19th and early 20 century and not be originally American.