From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishldoce_004_calcoveal‧cove /ˈælkəʊv $ -koʊv/ noun [countable] DHHTBBHOLEa place in the wall of a room that is built further back than the rest of the wall SYN recess
Examples from the Corpus
alcove• Make a detailed plan of the room, measuring into all alcoves and doorways.• A card table was set up in an alcove in the living room.• Frankie blinked in the bright light, then turned his gaze reluctantly to the arched alcove on his left.• The pantry was just a walk-in alcove off the kitchen.• The other alcoves were occupied by Catholics, Zionists, and various other interest groups.• He found the tape recorder attached to a small alcove carved out from underneath the desk.• As I slunk back to the alcove, I noticed half-suppressed smiles on the tear-stained faces of several of the mourners.• The sitting room had shabby chintz furniture, and faded curtains in the long window alcove.Origin alcove (1500-1600) French alcôve, from Spanish alcoba, from Arabic al-qubbah “the arch” 