house
UK: haʊs | US: haʊs
n. a building for human habitation
n. a legislative or deliberative assembly (e.g., "House of Representatives")
vt. to provide shelter or storage for something
The word "house" traces back to Old English hūs, derived from Proto-Germanic hūsą, meaning "dwelling." This term is shared across Germanic languages (e.g., German Haus, Dutch huis). The silent "e" in Modern English reflects historical spelling conventions, though it no longer affects pronunciation. The word has retained its core meaning of a human dwelling while also expanding to institutional uses (e.g., "house of government").
They bought a new house near the beach.
The House of Commons debated the new law.
The museum houses a rare collection of artifacts.
She decorated her house for the holidays.
The opera house was filled to capacity.