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

Michigan households with a union member have been more likely to vote for a Democratic presidential candidate than union households nationwide in the last three presidential elections, Reuters reported, citing the polling firm Edison Research. —Sara Dorn, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024

The one-year loan prime rate, which influences corporate and household loans, was reduced to 3.1%. —Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2024

Adjective

Sources of 2023 household debt in the US include: Credit Cards: $1.13 trillion Mortgage: $12.25 trillion Auto Loans: 1.61 trillion Student Loans: $1.6 trillion Outstanding balances also include debt from retail credit cards, consumer loans and other non-household expenses. —Kara Nelson, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024

Hancock said in the statement that his family canceled their traditional multi-household Thanksgiving celebration. —NBC News, 25 Nov. 2020

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