House — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈhau̇s/ (noun) /ˈhau̇z/ (verb)

Meaning & Definition of House

House (noun)

  1. a building that serves as living quarters for one or a few families, home
  2. a shelter or refuge (such as a nest or den) of a wild animal
  3. a natural covering (such as a test or shell) that encloses and protects an animal or a colony of zooids

House (verb)

  1. to provide with living quarters or shelter
  2. to store in a building
  3. to encase, enclose, or shelter as if by putting in a house

House (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a commercial or industrial activity or organization

    "a publishing house that specializes in school textbooks"

    similar: business, company, concern, enterprise, establishment, firm, interest, outfit
    related: conglomerate, corporation, multinational, association, cartel, chain, combine, syndicate, trust, agency, dealer, outlet, microenterprise

  2. a group of persons who come from the same ancestor

    "the present British royal family belongs to the House of Windsor"

    similar: blood, clan, family, folks, kin, kindred, kinfolk, kinsfolk, line, lineage, people, race (archaic), stock, tribe
    related: blended family, nuclear family, extended family, household, kith, brood, descendant, issue, offspring, progeny, scion, seed, clansman, kinsman, kinswoman, relative, dynasty
    near: ancestry, birth, descent, extraction, origin, pedigree

  3. the place where one lives

    "come over to my house so I can show you my new furniture"

    similar: abode, diggings, domicile, dwelling, fireside, habitation, hearth, hearthstone, home, lodging, pad, place, quarters, residence, roof
    related: accommodations, housing, nest, residency, shelter, bungalow, cabin, casita, chalet, cottage, duplex, ranch, ranch house, saltbox, semi (chiefly British), split level, townhome, town house, tract house, triplex, apartment, apartment house, condo, condominium, flat, tenement, tenement house, walk-up, penthouse, salon, suite, barracks, billet, boardinghouse, dorm, dormitory, flophouse, lodging house, lodgment, room(s), rooming house, castle, château, countryseat, estate, hall, manor, manor house, mansion, McMansion, palace, villa, farmhouse, grange, hacienda, homestead, double-wide, houseboat, house trailer, mobile home, motor home, recreational vehicle, RV, trailer, hermitage, manse, parsonage, rectory, vicarage, hooch (slang), hovel, hut, hutch, shack, shanty

  4. those who live as a family in one house

    "the whole house is in a state of excited anticipation for the holidays"

    similar: extended family, home, household, ménage
    related: blood, folks, kin, kindred, kinfolk, kinsfolk, kith, brood, nuclear family, clan, community

  5. the shelter or resting place of a wild animal

    "prairie dogs make their house underground"

    similar: burrow, den, hole, lair, lodge
    related: nest, territory

House (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to provide with living quarters or shelter

    "some of the freshmen were temporarily housed in local motels while the new dorm was being finished"

    similar: accommodate, bestow, billet, bivouac, board, bunk, camp, chamber, domicile, encamp, harbor, lodge, put up, quarter, roof, room, shelter, take in
    related: ensconce, home, roost, secure, shed, stable, tent, barrack, bed (down)
    near: eject, evict

  2. to close or shut in by or as if by barriers

    "the famous document is housed in a special display case"

    similar: box (in), cage, closet, coop (up), corral, encage, encase, enclose, envelop, fence (in), hedge, hem (in), immure, include, mew (up), pen, wall (in)
    related: bound, circumscribe, confine, contain, limit, restrict, encircle, encompass, enfold, enframe, enlace, frame, ring, surround, armor, cocoon, encapsulate, encapsule, encyst, ensheathe, ensphere, enwomb

Related Entry: House cat (noun)

House cat is a different word from House. The synonyms below are for house cat, not for house.

  1. a small domestic animal known for catching mice

    "the house cat at the Cheshire Cat Bookstore has the dual responsibility of being mascot and mouser"

    similar: cat, feline, kitty, moggy (British), puss, pussy, pussycat
    related: mouser, kit, kitten, alley cat, tabby, gib, tomcat

Related Entry: House girl (noun)

House girl is a different word from House. The synonyms below are for house girl, not for house.

  1. a female domestic servant

    "toiled several years as a house girl at a large estate"

    similar: biddy, char (British), charwoman, handmaiden, housekeeper, housemaid, maid, maidservant, skivvy (British), wench (old-fashioned)
    related: attendant, chambermaid, abigail, lady-in-waiting, maid-in-waiting, au pair, nursemaid, domestic, menial, amah, ayah

Related Entry: House arrest (noun)

House arrest is a different word from House. The synonyms below are for house arrest, not for house.

  1. as in detention, custody

    similar: custody, detainer, detainment, detention, arrest, capture, entrapment, restraint, restriction, bondage, enslavement, servitude, captivity, confinement, immurement, impoundment, imprisonment, incarceration, internment, prison
    opposite: emancipation, liberation, manumission, redemption, release, freedom, independence, liberty

Related Entry: House arrests (noun)

House arrests is a different word from House. The synonyms below are for house arrests, not for house.

  1. as in detentions, custodies

    similar: custodies, detainers, detainments, detentions, arrests, captures, entrapments, restraints, restrictions, bondages, enslavements, servitudes, captivities, confinements, immurements, impoundments, imprisonments, incarcerations, internments, prisons
    opposite: emancipations, liberations, manumissions, redemptions, releases, freedoms, independences, liberties

Related Entry: House parties (noun)

House parties is a different word from House. The synonyms below are for house parties, not for house.

  1. as in tea parties, cocktail parties

    similar: bakes, clambakes, cocktail parties, hen parties, housewarmings, icebreakers, kaffeeklatsches, keggers, klatches, masquerades, meet and greets, mixers, salons, showers, socials, soirees, stags, suppers, symposia, tea parties, teas, affairs, bashes, binges, blasts, blowouts, dos, events, fetes, functions, get-togethers, parties, receptions, shindigs, benefits, fund-raisers, balls, dances, formals, proms, celebrations, galas, occasions, bacchanalia, bacchanals, orgies, saturnalias

Related Entry: House party (noun)

House party is a different word from House. The synonyms below are for house party, not for house.

  1. as in tea party, cocktail party

    similar: bake, clambake, cocktail party, hen party, housewarming, icebreaker, kaffeeklatsch, kegger, klatch, masquerade, meet and greet, mixer, salon, shower, social, soiree, stag, supper, symposium, tea, tea party, affair, bash, binge, blast, blowout, do, event, fete, function, get-together, party, reception, shindig, benefit, fund-raiser, ball, dance, formal, prom, celebration, gala, occasion, bacchanal, bacchanalia, orgy, saturnalia

Related Entry: House trailer (noun)

House trailer is a different word from House. The synonyms below are for house trailer, not for house.

  1. as in mobile home

    similar: mobile home, camper, caravan, motor home, recreational vehicle, RV, trailer, coach, van

Related Entry: House trailers (noun)

House trailers is a different word from House. The synonyms below are for house trailers, not for house.

  1. as in mobile homes

    similar: mobile homes, campers, caravans, motor homes, recreational vehicles, RVs, trailers, coaches, vans

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for House

The most common words with a similar meaning to House:

Archaic: race
business, company, concern, enterprise, establishment, firm, interest, outfit, blood, clan, family, folks, kin, kindred, kinfolk, kinsfolk, line, lineage, people, stock, tribe, abode, diggings, domicile, dwelling, fireside, habitation, hearth, hearthstone, home, lodging, pad, place, quarters, residence, roof, extended family, household, ménage, burrow

Related Words for House

conglomerate, corporation, multinational, association, cartel, chain, combine, syndicate, trust, agency, dealer, outlet, microenterprise, blended family, nuclear family, kith, brood, descendant, issue, offspring, progeny, scion, seed, clansman, kinsman, kinswoman, relative, dynasty, accommodations, housing

Near Antonyms of House

ancestry, birth, descent, extraction, origin, pedigree, eject, evict

Word Forms of House

Inflections: houses, housed, housing

Derived words: houseful (noun), houseless (adjective), houselessness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of House

Middle English hous, from Old English hūs; akin to Old High German hūs house

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for House

Words & Phrases Containing House

house arrest, house call, house cat, house cricket, house detective, house dust mite, house finch

Frequently Asked Questions about House

What does "House" mean?

"House" means a building that serves as living quarters for one or a few families, home. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a building that serves as living quarters for one or a few families, home. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "House"?

Other words for "House" include business, company, concern, enterprise, establishment, firm, interest and outfit. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "House" you intend.

What are different ways to say "House"?

There are 210 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "House". Common alternatives include business, company, concern, enterprise, establishment, firm, interest, outfit, blood and clan.

How do you use "House" in a sentence?

Examples of "House" in a sentence: "a publishing house that specializes in school textbooks"; "the present British royal family belongs to the House of Windsor"; "come over to my house so I can show you my new furniture".

Is "House" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"House" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "House" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "House" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "House"?

"House" is pronounced /ˈhau̇s/ as a noun and /ˈhau̇z/ as a verb.

What is the origin of the word "House"?

"House" comes from Middle English hous, from Old English hūs; akin to Old High German hūs house. First known use: before 12th century.