house

noun, often attributive \ ˈhau̇s \

Updated on: 22 Apr 2018

Definition of house

plural houses play \ˈhau̇-zəz also -səz\

1 : a building that serves as living quarters for one or a few families : home

invited them to her house for dinner

a two-family house

2 a (1) : a shelter or refuge (such as a nest or den) of a wild animal

(2) : a natural covering (such as a test or shell) that encloses and protects an animal or a colony of zooids

b : a building in which something is sheltered or stored

a carriage house

3 a astrology : one of the 12 equal sectors (see ¹sector 1a) in which the celestial sphere is divided

b astrology : a sign of the zodiac that is the seat of a planet's greatest influence

the house occupied by Jupiter

4 a : household

woke up the whole house

b : a family including ancestors, descendants, and kindred

the house of Tudor

5 a : a residence for a religious community or for students

a fraternity house

b : the community or students living in such a residence

6 a government : a legislative, deliberative, or consultative assembly; especially : one constituting a division of a bicameral body

a bill approved by both houses of Congress

b : the building or chamber where such an assembly meets

c : a quorum of such an assembly

7 a : a place of business or entertainment

a movie house

the local fish house

a house of prostitution

b (1) : a business organization

a publishing house

(2) : a gambling establishment

c : the audience in a theater or concert hall

a full house on opening night

8 curling : the circular area 12 feet in diameter surrounding the tee and within which a curling stone must rest in order to count

[from The Warehouse, Chicago dance club that pioneered the style]

: a type of dance music mixed by a disc jockey that features overdubbing with a heavy repetitive drumbeat and repeated electronic melody lines

—

houseful

play \ˈhau̇s-ˌfu̇l\ noun

—

houseless

play \ˈhau̇-sləs\ adjective

—

houselessness

noun

— on the house

: without charge : free

See house defined for English-language learners

See house defined for kids

Examples of house in a Sentence

Would you like to come to my house for dinner?
I spent the weekend just puttering around the house.
He made enough noise to wake the whole house.

Recent Examples of house from the Web

The house is still mostly family-owned and, from the outside at least, retains a renegade spirit that's less common among the risk-managing, venture capital-dispensing high-end conglomerate set.

— max berlinger, GQ, "You Could Use a Style Upgrade," 18 Apr. 2018
Palmatier said the house in the 700 block of south Roanoke Street will be off the market for now.

— victor ren, azcentral, "Worker readying house for sale drives van into kitchen at Gilbert home," 17 Apr. 2018
For many, a house where everyone can have their own bedroom is ideal, and dependent on budget, that isn't always possible.

— melissa rolland, courant.com, "Bigger Not Always Better," 17 Apr. 2018
While Attending an Event in NYC A real estate source tells PEOPLE the house is still in escrow.

— maria pasquini, PEOPLE.com, "Jennifer Garner Celebrates 46th Birthday with a Kids’ Pizza Party," 17 Apr. 2018
In fact, the publishing house, Macmillan, has printed 850,000 copies in anticipation of intense interest from the public.

— saba hamedy, CNN, "DC booksellers expected 'Fire and Fury' crowds for Comey book. Instead, they got mostly journalists," 17 Apr. 2018
The research institute houses more than 2,500 animals.

— fares sabawi, San Antonio Express-News, "Baboons used 55-gallon barrel to escape from San Antonio research facility, officials say," 16 Apr. 2018
The plan also called for demolishing the adjacent, 20th-century house on Lake Street behind Boxwood Hall.

— kevin riordan, Philly.com, "In South Jersey, a new site sought for proposed performing arts center | Kevin Riordan," 16 Apr. 2018
Lanvin’s financial troubles were so deep that the fashion house was having trouble paying employees under its previous ownership, which included majority investor Shaw-Lan Wang, of Taiwan, according to people familiar with the company’s situation.

— matthew dalton, WSJ, "Chinese Companies Pay Up to Invest in Luxury Brands," 13 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'house.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of house

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

house Synonyms

Synonyms

abode, diggings, domicile, dwelling, fireside, habitation, hearth, hearthstone, home, lodging, pad, place, quarters, residence, roof;

bungalow, cabin, casita, chalet, cottage;

duplex, ranch, ranch house, saltbox, split level, townhome, town house, tract house, triplex;

apartment, apartment house, condominium, flat, tenement, tenement house, walk-up;

penthouse, salon, suite;

barracks, billet, boardinghouse, dorm, dormitory, lodging house, lodgment (or lodgement), room(s), rooming house;

castle, château, countryseat, estate, hall, manor, manor house, mansion, palace, villa;

farmhouse, grange, hacienda, homestead;

hermitage, manse, parsonage, rectory, vicarage;

hovel, hut, hutch, shack, shanty;

house

verb \ ˈhau̇z \

Definition of house

housed; housing

transitive verb

1 a : to provide with living quarters or shelter

a place to house their guests

b : to store in a building

the barn where they house their boat

2 : to encase, enclose, or shelter as if by putting in a house (see ¹house)

so timorous a soul housed in so impressive a body
—A. W. Long

3 : to serve as a shelter or container for : contain

buildings that house government offices

intransitive verb

: to take shelter : lodge

See house defined for English-language learners

Examples of house in a Sentence

More prisons are needed to house the growing number of inmates.
The museum houses an impressive collection of jewels.
The carpenter built casing to house the hot water pipes.

Recent Examples of house from the Web

The company, which Ratner co-founded with Packer, was housed in offices on the Warner Bros. lot that were formerly occupied by Frank Sinatra.

— victoria kim, latimes.com, "Warner Bros. won't renew financing deal with Brett Ratner, cutting remaining ties with filmmaker," 11 Apr. 2018
The Methodist congregation had moved to another building in 1961 before moving again in recent years to a structure on 151st Street and 80th Avenue that had once housed the Calvary Church.

— frank vaisvilas, Daily Southtown, "Orland Park's growth mirrored by moves, expansion of its houses of worship," 11 Apr. 2018
Opportunity drawings and a silent auction will be held and donations will be appreciated, with all proceeds going to the senior center, which is housed in Ramona Community Center.

— Ramona Sentinel, "Car show benefits senior center," 11 Apr. 2018
Zuckerberg’s testimony is about bigger problems than the transparency of the advertisements that may sway our votes in coming elections, or the security of the information that is housed in the site.

— jessi hempel, WIRED, "Congress Is Unearthing Facebook’s Terrible Power," 11 Apr. 2018
To test these ideas, researchers created a 3-D model of an ancient human skull using X-rays of a fossilized skull known as Kabwe 1, which is currently housed in the Smithsonian.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Expressive Eyebrows May Have Given Modern Humans an Evolutionary Edge," 10 Apr. 2018
Tucked away on the charming Sparks Street pedestrian mall, the restaurant is housed in a former bank, inheriting its soaring 30-foot ceilings and setting the backdrop for its distinctly refined atmosphere.

— destination canada, Bon Appetit, "A Cyclist’s Guide to Ottawa’s Culinary Scene," 9 Apr. 2018
L’ecole, which is housed in a beautiful 1915 French schoolhouse, looks like something straight out of a Wes Anderson film and is an enchanting place to start.

— christina pérez, Vogue, "Why Walla Walla, Washington Should be Your Next Wine Region Vacation," 6 Apr. 2018
The new school would be located on Vintage Drive where students are now housed in modular trailers.

— littice bacon-blood, NOLA.com, "Kenner charter school's support arm exempt from state bid law, AG opines," 6 Apr. 2018

Origin and Etymology of house

see ¹house

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

house Synonyms

Synonyms

box (in), cage, closet, coop (up), corral, encase, enclose (also inclose), envelop, fence (in), hedge, hem (in), immure, include, mew (up), pen, wall (in);

encircle, encompass, enfold, enframe, enlace, frame, ring, surround;

armor, cocoon, encapsulate, encapsule, encyst, ensheathe, ensphere, enwomb;

House

biographical name \ ˈhau̇s \

Definition of House

Edward Mandell 1858–1938 Colonel House American diplomat

HOUSE Defined for English Language Learners

house

noun

Definition of house for English Language Learners

: a building in which a family lives
: the people who live in a house
: a structure or shelter in which animals are kept

house

verb

Definition of house for English Language Learners

: to provide shelter or a living space for (someone)
: to be a shelter for (something) : to store or contain (something)
: to surround or enclose (something) in order to protect it

HOUSE Defined for Kids

house

noun \ ˈhau̇s \

Definition of house for Students

plural houses \ˈhau̇-zəz\

1 : a place built for people to live in

2 : something (as a nest or den) used by an animal for shelter

3 : a building in which something is kept

a carriage house

4 : ¹household

Her noise woke up the whole house.

5 : a body of persons assembled to make the laws for a country

The United States Congress is made up of two houses.

6 : a business firm

a publishing house

7 : the audience in a theater or concert hall

8 : family 2

the house of Windsor

— on the house

: free of charge

Dessert is on the house.

house

verb \ ˈhau̇z \

Definition of house for Students

housed; housing

1 : to provide with living quarters or shelter

2 : contain 2

All three movies are housed in a single set.

Law Dictionary

house

noun

legal Definition of house

1 a : a building (as a single or multiple family house, apartment, or hotel room) serving as living quarters and usually including the curtilage

b : a building (as one's residence or a locked place of business) in which one is entitled to protection (as from warrantless searches and seizures) under the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

2 a : a legislative assembly especially that constitutes a division of a bicameral body

b : the building or chamber where such an assembly meets

c : a quorum of such an assembly