Kiosk

[kee-osk, kee-osk] /ˈki ɒsk, kiˈɒsk/

noun
1.
a small structure having one or more sides open, used as a newsstand, refreshment stand, bandstand, etc.
2.
a thick, columnlike structure on which notices, advertisements, etc., are posted.
3.
an interactive computer terminal available for public use, as one with Internet access or site-specific information:
Students use kiosks to look up campus events.
4.
an open pavilion or summerhouse common in Turkey and Iran.
5.
British. a telephone booth.
/ˈkiːɒsk/
noun
1.
a small sometimes movable booth from which cigarettes, newspapers, light refreshments, etc, are sold
2.
(mainly Brit) a telephone box
3.
(mainly US) a thick post on which advertisements are posted
4.
(in Turkey, Iran, etc, esp formerly) a light open-sided pavilion
n.

1620s, “open pavilion,” from French kiosque (17c.), from Turkish koshk, kiöshk “pavilion, palace,” from Persian kushk “palace, portico.” Later of newsstands (1865). Modern sense influenced by British telephone kiosk (1928).

A stall set up in a public place where one can obtain information, e.g. tourist information. The information may be provided by a human or by a computer. In the latter case, the data may be stored locally (e.g. on CD-ROM) or accessed via a network using some kind of distributed information retreival system such as Gopher or World-Wide Web.
(1998-09-07)