open house

noun

1

: ready and usually informal hospitality or entertainment for all comers

2

: a house or apartment open for inspection especially by prospective buyers or tenants

Examples of open house in a Sentence

Westside High School will host an open house from 3 to 7 p.m. today, and all parents are invited to attend.

colleges holding open houses for prospective students

We held an open house last week in the hopes that someone would offer to buy our house.

They kept open house, and in the evenings neighbors would stop by to talk or play music.

They always kept an open house for visitors.

Recent Examples on the Web

The open house is open to residents, business owners and community stakeholders, the news release said, and refreshments will be provided. — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026

This should start very early in the school year and informally, by attending open houses, parent-teacher conferences, and other school events. — Parents, 7 Aug. 2026

Church representatives hosted several open houses for the public to see the new temple’s ornate rooms. — ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026

Families toured the campus during an open house before classes began, allowing students to meet their teachers and become familiar with the new building. — Jamal Goss, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for open house

• boardinghouse
• charterhouse
• clearinghouse
• coffeehouse
• customhouse
• firehouse
• meetinghouse
• motherhouse
• packinghouse
• pilothouse
• powerhouse
• slaughterhouse

Kids Definition

open house

noun

: usually informal hospitality or entertainment for all comers