housing

1 of 2

noun (1)

hous·​ing ˈhau̇-ziŋ 

1

a

: shelter, lodging

b

: dwellings provided for people

2

a

: a niche for a sculpture

b

: the space taken out of a structural member (such as a timber) to admit the insertion of part of another

3

: something that covers or protects: such as

a

: a case or enclosure (as for a mechanical part or an instrument)

b

: a casing (such as an enclosed bearing) in which a shaft revolves

c

: a support (such as a frame) for mechanical parts

housing

2 of 2

noun (2)

: caparison sense 1

Synonyms of housing

Noun (1)

• casing
• sheath
• covering
• case
• cover

Examples of housing in a Sentence

Noun (1)

a camera with a waterproof housing for taking pictures of coral reefs and other underwater features

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Bass and her campaign team have sought to highlight a list of accomplishments, including a steady decrease in homicides, a drop in street homelessness and her efforts to accelerate the construction of affordable housing. —David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026

Li’l Abner’s 3,000 or so residents were ordered to vacate their trailers because CREI Holdings, the landowner, intended to develop the land beneath the trailers to build a multi-family housing complex. —Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026

The building has 190 one and two-bedroom apartments, according to the housing authority website. —Cheryl Vari, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Feb. 2026

But the pace won’t be enough to make up for a housing shortfall estimated at more than 106,000 units in 2023, according to a report from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. —Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

Middle English, from house housing (from Anglo-French huce, houce, of Germanic origin) + -ing; akin to Middle High German hulft covering

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing housing

• housing development
• housing estate
• housing project
• housing starts
• housing stock
• low-income housing
• social housing

Rhymes for housing

• browsing
• rehousing
• rousing
• arousing
• carousing
• espousing
• warehousing

Kids Definition

housing

1 of 2 noun

hous·​ing

ˈhau̇-ziŋ

1

a

: the shelter of a temporary or permanent structure (as a tent or house) : lodging

b

: dwellings provided for people

housing for the elderly

2

a

: something that covers or protects

b

: a support (as a frame) for mechanical parts

housing

2 of 2 noun

: caparison sense 1