# houseboat

/ˈhaʊsˌboʊt/ (US) · /hˈaʊsbəʊt/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/houseboat
Updated: 2026-10-14

## Definition

a boat that people live in as their home. It stays on a river, lake or canal and has rooms like a small house.

For teachers: 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.