sauna

noun

1. A room or a house designed for heat sessions.

   “The hotel has a sauna in the basement.”

   “Of course, it will never get -100 here like it does in Antarctica, but a 300-degree swing was still theoretically possible on a record-cold Minnesota morning–if we got the sauna hot enough.”

   “As health-conscious Americans have jumped headfirst into saunas, some Europeans have at times also found themselves a little baffled by their fellow steam lovers’ behavior, worried a millennia-old tradition is being warped by American wellness culture.”

2. The act of using a sauna.

   “John had a sauna after his swim.”

   “Joanne went for a sauna after her swim.”

   “One of my favorite saunas was just one go and thirteen minutes long, including clean up time.”

3. In some countries, a business with bath-like facilities that is actually a brothel or a place for (non-commercial) sexual encounters; a bathhouse or massage parlour.

   “McPhail ran Maitland's brothels—knocking-shops in Maryhill, Riddrie, Dennistoun, and the more upscale saunas in the West End and city centre.”

4. (figuratively, informal)A very hot place or room.

verb

1. (intransitive)To use a sauna.

   ““I find it disgusting,” she said. “It would be a total no-no to go to a sauna in Austria with your bathing suit, and an insult to wear workout clothes.” She now saunas at home.”