English Reference

Word

house

Phoneticshouse

/ˈhaʊs/

Countable noun

Definition

n. a building where people live, usually for one family. You use this word for the physical structure rather than the feeling of being at home.

n. a building that serves as a living space for one or more families. Often used to distinguish a detached or semi-detached structure from an apartment or flat.

Examples

“They are building a new house on our street.”

“After living in a small apartment for years, they finally saved enough money to buy a house with a garden.”

“The architect designed the house to maximize natural light, using large glass panels that blur the boundary between the interior living space and the surrounding woodland.”

Examples

simple

“They are building a new house on our street.”

contextual

“After living in a small apartment for years, they finally saved enough money to buy a house with a garden.”

complex

“The architect designed the house to maximize natural light, using large glass panels that blur the boundary between the interior living space and the surrounding woodland.”

Usage

Commonly used with the verbs 'build', 'buy', or 'rent'; distinguished from 'home' which carries more emotional or personal significance.

Pitfall

I am going to my house now.

I am going home now.

Learners often use 'house' when they mean 'home' to describe their destination; 'home' is used as an adverb of direction without a preposition.

Confusables

house vs home

House is the physical structure or building; home is the place where you live and feel a sense of belonging.

RememberHouse is the shell; home is the heart.

Etymology

* As an English surname, from the noun house. * Also as an English surname, variant of Howes. * Also as a topographic English surname, from a derivative of Old English hyse (“place overgrown with water plants”), from hos (“bramble, thorn, sprout”). This may have also made its way into Hose, Huss. * As a German surname, calqued from the surname Haus.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

Related words

Idioms

Domains

GamblingMusicNauticalPolitics

This entry

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.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL 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: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
Frequency
Very common
Level
A1 · BeginnerOxford
Updated

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English Reference