abode

noun

ə-ˈbōd 

1

: the place where one lives : home

were reluctant to leave their lifelong abode

Welcome to my humble abode.

2

: a temporary stay : sojourn

… if any such dares to continue his abode in a family where his coming was an unauthorized intrusion …

—Walter Scott

3

obsolete : wait, delay

Synonyms

• residence
• dwelling
• house
• home
• lodging
• roof
• place

Examples of abode in a Sentence

welcome to my humble abode

Recent Examples on the Web

The result is about 10 rooms inside the A-lister’s California home being redesigned, bringing her hopes for the abode to fruition. —Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 1 Oct. 2025

Click here for more photos of the Greenwich abode. —Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 29 Sep. 2025

Not much else is known about the abode, but a 2007 Sports Illustrated feature confirmed that Peyton still owned the off-season dwelling. —Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 25 Sep. 2025

According to their rep, the El Moussas listed their former abode for $25,000 a month. —Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English abade, abode, from bade, bode "stay, delay" (going back to Old English bād "expectation, period of waiting," probably going back to Germanic *baiđ-, noun derivative from the base of *bīđ- "wait, bide") crossed with abiden "to abide"

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing abode

• no fixed abode
• place of abode

Rhymes for abode

• anode
• barcode
• bestowed
• boatload
• borrowed
• carload
• caseload
• cathode
• commode
• corrode
• crossroad
• decode

Kids Definition

abode

noun

ə-ˈbōd 

: the place where one stays or lives

Legal Definition

abode

past and past participle of abide