Types of home

homes for people on low incomes for which part of the rent or mortgage is paid by the government

British a house owned by the local council (=the council of the town or city where you live), for which you pay a low rent

domicile (noun)

formal someone’s home

gated community (noun)

a group of houses or flats in an area surrounded by a fence or wall that can be entered only by people who live there and their guests

grace and favour (adjective)

British a grace and favour house, flat etc has been given to someone to live in without payment by a king, queen, or government

granny flat (noun)

Britishinformal a flat that is part of a family house where an older parent can live near their family and still have an independent life

holiday home (noun)

British a house or flat that you own and use for holidays

home unit (noun)

Australian a flat, usually owned by the people who live there

lodgings (noun)

a place that you pay to live in temporarily, for example when you are visiting an area

matchbox house (noun)

South African a small and often badly built house located with many other similar houses on a social housing scheme

mobile home (noun)

British a large caravan that people live in as their home. The American word is trailer.

mother-in-law apartment (noun)

American a granny flat

nursing home (noun)

an institution where old people live when they are too old or ill to look after themselves without help

old people’s home (noun)

a place where old people live and are looked after

poorhouse (noun)

in the past, a place provided for very poor people who had no homes and were unable to feed themselves

RDP house (noun)

South African a house that was built as part of a government-funded social housing project

rest home (noun)

old-fashioned an old people’s home

retirement home (noun)

a place where older people live and are looked after

second home (noun)

a house that someone owns but lives in only for short periods, for example holidays, not as their usual home

self-build (noun)

a house that you build yourself

shelter (noun)

a place to live, considered as a basic human need

show house (noun)

British one of a group of new houses that has been decorated and filled with furniture so that it can be shown to customers as a typical example. The American word is model home.

social housing (noun)

British houses that local councils and other organizations provide at a low cost

squat (noun)

British a house where people live without permission and without paying the owner

terrace (noun)

a row of houses all of the same type, built so that they join together

tied (adjective)

British a tied house is a house that you live in while you are doing a particular job but must leave when you leave your job

transit camp (noun)

a temporary home for people who are escaping from a war or another dangerous situation

women’s refuge (noun)

British a place where women can go with their children in order to escape from a violent husband or partner

Synonyms and antonyms of Types of home in British Thesaurus