reservation

noun

res·​er·​va·​tion ˌre-zər-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce reservation (audio)
1
: an act of reserving something: such as
a(1)
: the act or fact of a grantor's reserving some newly created thing out of the thing granted
(2)
: the right or interest so reserved
b
: the setting of limiting conditions or withholding from complete exposition
answered without reservation
c
: an arrangement to have something (such as a hotel room) held for one's use
also : a promise, guarantee, or record of such engagement
2
a
: a limiting condition
agreed, but with reservations
b
: doubt, misgiving
had serious reservations about marriage
3
: something reserved: such as
a
: a tract of public land set aside (as for use by American Indians)
b
: an area in which hunting is not permitted
especially : one set aside as a secure breeding place
reservationist noun

Examples of reservation in a Sentence

We made dinner reservations at the restaurant for 6 o'clock. I have a hotel reservation. My only reservation about buying the car was its high price.
Recent Examples on the Web Friend of the Festival packages (advance ticket packages), which include reservations for indoor conversations, weekend parking and festival merchandise are available for purchase now. Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 The full schedule of events and reservations can be found at wowfestival.org. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2024 If reservations are canceled on the same day the reservation was created, you'll be assessed the $10 cancellation/modification fee only. Detroit Free Press, 12 Mar. 2024 En route to their dinner reservation, the couple steer the rental car down a private driveway, getting stuck in a ditch. Peter Debruge, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 Most refused to talk about their reservations on the record or publicly at the conference. Conor Dougherty, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 The increase followed improvements to the train’s service, including extending lines and updating reservation systems. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2024 By comparison, there were 12 reservations for weddings in each of the last two years. Stephen Hobbs, Sacramento Bee, 4 Mar. 2024 Walk-ins welcome, but reservations are recommended to avoid the wait; www.woodencityspokane.com. Amber Turpin, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reservation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reservation was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near reservation

Cite this Entry

“Reservation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reservation. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

reservation

noun
res·​er·​va·​tion ˌrez-ər-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce reservation (audio)
1
: the act of reserving
2
: an arrangement to have something (as a motel room or a seat on a plane) held for one's use
3
: something reserved for a special use
especially : an area of public lands so reserved (as for use by American Indians)
4
a
: a limiting condition : exception
agree without reservations
b
: doubt entry 2 sense 1
had reservations about joining the team

Legal Definition

reservation

noun
res·​er·​va·​tion
1
: the act or an instance of reserving
reservation of rights
2
: the creation by and for a grantor of a new right or interest (as an easement) in real property granted to another
also : the right or interest so created or the clause creating it in a deed compare exception
3
a
: public land reserved for a special purpose (as conservation)
b
: a tract of land reserved for use by an American Indian tribe see also Indian Removal Act of 1830 compare Indian title at title

Note: The federal government has jurisdiction over certain serious felonies committed on American Indian reservations, and a member of a tribe is vested with the rights of an American citizen even if in a tribal court proceeding. Prior to the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968, states could obtain civil and criminal jurisdiction over a reservation or other American Indian lands by legislative action, but that Act created the requirement that such jurisdiction be acquired with the consent of the tribe as manifest in an election among tribal adults. This requirement was not retroactive. Federal land claim settlement acts pertaining to particular states have included statutes expressly assigning civil and criminal jurisdiction to the states involved.

More from Merriam-Webster on reservation

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