Word
homestead
Phoneticshome·stead, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhoʊmˌstɛd/
UK/hˈəʊmstɛd/
Definitions
01a farm and its buildings
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a house together with the land and buildings around it, especially on a farm.
n. a dwelling house and the adjoining land and buildings, typically constituting a farm or estate.
“The family worked hard to maintain their homestead during the long winter months.”
“The original homestead, consisting of a stone cottage and three timber barns, has remained in the family for four generations.”
02extended family compound
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Dialect
n. a group of several houses where an extended family lives together.
n. a cluster of dwellings occupied by an extended family unit, particularly within a rural or traditional social structure.
“In the village, each homestead was surrounded by a tall wooden fence for privacy.”
“The traditional homestead layout allowed the elders to supervise the communal activities of the younger family members effectively.”
Synonyms
03to live self-sufficiently
C1 · Advanced American English
v. to live on a piece of land and grow your own food, often to gain ownership of the land.
v. to settle on and cultivate land, especially under a government grant or as part of a self-sufficiency movement.
“They decided to move to the mountains and homestead on a small plot of land.”
“Under the 1862 Act, many families moved west to homestead, hoping to secure a permanent title to the land through five years of cultivation.”
Usage
Often used in historical contexts or when discussing modern self-sufficient living.
Real-World Examples
“The first Homestead Act, signed by Lincoln in 1862, distributed squares for free, as long as recipients went and farmed them.” “Each night that herders spend away from their homesteads, seeking grass for grazing, is a night they sleep with their camels for warmth.” “When we arrived at Johnson and Dorothy Ncube's homestead, the Ngamo village headman and his wife greeted us in rhino-themed t-shirts.” - Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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