Word
houseboat
Phoneticshouse·boat, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhaʊsˌboʊt/
UK/hˈaʊsbəʊt/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a boat that people live in as their home. It stays on a river, lake or canal and has rooms like a small house.
n. a vessel fitted for permanent residence, moored on a river, lake or canal rather than used for travel.
Examples
“They live on a small houseboat near the bridge.”
“After selling their flat, the couple moved onto a houseboat on the canal and cycle to work each morning.”
“The old houseboat, with its wood stove and narrow deck crowded with plants, stays moored year-round despite the winter ice.”
Examples
simple
“They live on a small houseboat near the bridge.”
contextual
“After selling their flat, the couple moved onto a houseboat on the canal and cycle to work each morning.”
complex
“The old houseboat, with its wood stove and narrow deck crowded with plants, stays moored year-round despite the winter ice.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “houseboat” in context.
Verb
01. buy houseboat
“They want to buy a houseboat and live on the water.”
verb + noun
02. houseboat floats
“The houseboat floats gently on the calm water.”
noun + verb
03. houseboat rocks
“The houseboat rocked a little in the strong wind.”
noun + verb
04. live on houseboat
“My cousin lives on a houseboat all year round.”
verb + prep + noun
05. moor houseboat
“We moored the houseboat beside a quiet village.”
verb + noun
Adjective
06. cosy houseboat
“My aunt lives in a cosy houseboat on the canal.”
adj + noun
07. luxury houseboat
“They booked a luxury houseboat with two bedrooms and a kitchen.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. deck of houseboat
“We had breakfast on the deck of the houseboat.”
noun + prep + noun
09. houseboat holiday
“We went on a houseboat holiday in France last spring.”
noun + noun
10. houseboat owner
“The houseboat owner invited us for tea on deck.”
noun + noun
11. a houseboat on the canal
“They bought a houseboat on the canal near the city.”
12. live on a houseboat
“My uncle lives on a houseboat on the Thames.”
Real-World Examples
“Houseboats in the Netherlands are sitting on dry riverbeds earlier than usual this summer, with some partially stranded in the receding waters of the Meertje inlet of the Waal river, as the country faces a water shortage.” “Our houseboats were packed and now we have no guests," Tuman told Reuters, sitting on a wooden sofa in one of the houseboats on Nigeen Lake.” “Local officials announced on Friday that all roughly 3,000 houseboats located in Amsterdam and its nearby areas must link up to the sewer system within the coming years, prohibiting the disposal of waste directly into the city's canals.” “But while many houseboats are kept for occasional use, some are home to a hardy breed of year-round residents.” Etymology
From house + boat.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Related words
- 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.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL 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: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/houseboat