household

1 of 2

noun

house·​hold ˈhau̇s-ˌhōld 

ˈhau̇-ˌsōld

: those who dwell under the same roof and compose a family

also : a social unit composed of those living together in the same dwelling

household

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of or relating to a household : domestic

cooking and other household arts

2

: familiar, common

a household name

Synonyms

Noun

• extended family
• home
• house
• ménage

Adjective

• domestic
• familial

Examples of household in a Sentence

Noun

At that time, not many households had telephones.

the dish became a household word because of the sudden popularity of the cuisine

Adjective

they spent the weekend at home, attending to household chores

“ozone” is now a household word, thanks to global warming

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And one of the questions is whether the households have lost a child because of starvation. —Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 2 May 2024

Her father, who worked in law enforcement, governed the household with a severity rooted in paranoia. —J Wortham January Lavoy Krish Seenivasan David Mason, New York Times, 2 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing household

• head of the household
• household name
• household troops

Kids Definition

household

1 of 2 noun

house·​hold ˈhau̇s-ˌhōld 

ˈhau̇-ˌsōld

: those who live as a family in one house

also : a social unit made up of those living together in the same house

household

2 of 2 adjective

1

: of or relating to a household : domestic

2

: familiar entry 2 sense 3a, common

a household word