What does "cottage" mean?

1. (small rural house) a small, old-fashioned house, usually in the countryside or a village. 2. (vacation home) a house used for holidays, often near a lake, forest, or the sea. 3. (to stay at a holiday home) to spend time living in a holiday home.

cottage

n. · v.

US //ˈkɑtədʒ// UK //kˈɒtɪdʒ// cot·tage

1 small rural house (n.)
B1 Intermediate

a small, old-fashioned house, usually in the countryside or a village.

a small, modest dwelling, typically located in a rural or semi-rural setting.

Example

They spent their summer living in a tiny stone cottage in the mountains.

Example

The village is famous for its thatched-roof cottages, many of which have been preserved since the eighteenth century.
- mansion
- skyscraper
2 vacation home (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate American English

a house used for holidays, often near a lake, forest, or the sea.

a seasonal or recreational residence, frequently situated near water or in a remote natural area.

Example

Every July, the family heads north to their cottage by the lake.

Example

In Ontario, owning a cottage is a significant cultural tradition, with many families migrating to the lakeside every weekend during the warmer months.
- vacation home
- summer house
- cabin

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3 to stay at a holiday home (v.)
C1 Advanced American English Informal

to spend time living in a holiday home.

to reside in or visit a seasonal recreational home.

Example

We spent the whole month cottaging in the Muskokas.

Example

The local economy relies heavily on those who come cottaging during the brief summer window.
- vacationing

Origin

Late Middle English, from Anglo-Norman cotage and Medieval Latin cotagium, from Old Northern French cot, cote (“hut, cottage”) + -age (“surrounding property”), from Proto-Germanic kutą, kuta- (“shed”), probably of non-Indo-European origin, possibly borrowed from Uralic; compare Finnish kota (“hut, house”) and Hungarian ház (“house”), both from Proto-Finno-Ugric/Proto-Uralic *kota. However, also compare Dutch and English hut. Old Northern French cote is probably from Old Norse kot (“hut”), cognate of Old English cot of same Proto-Germanic origin. Slang sense “public toilet” from 19th century, due to resemblance.