Home vs. House: What's the Difference?
Edited by Harlon Moss || By Janet White || Published on October 28, 2023
"Home" refers to a place of residence imbued with emotional attachment, while "House" is a physical structure where someone lives.
Key Differences
"Home" signifies not just a residence but also a place of emotional, cultural, or familial warmth and belonging, while "House" pertains to the physical structure, devoid of these emotional connections.
"Home" goes beyond a physical location—it can be a country, a city, or any place one identifies with on a deeper level, while "House" is specifically a building that provides shelter.
"Home" is where one's heart is, often creating a sense of comfort and refuge, whereas a "House" is a tangible asset, a property often considered in legal or commercial contexts.
"Home" can be subjective, varying greatly based on individual feelings and experiences, whereas "House" has a fixed architectural definition: a building for human habitation.
"Home" can exist without walls or a roof; it's often where one's family is, or where one feels most understood and secure, whereas a "House" is objectively observed through its physical attributes like construction, design, and location.
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Comparison Chart
Concept
Emotional, psychological connection
Physical structure, building
Flexibility
Can be an abstract, emotional idea
Fixed, tangible asset
Significance
Symbolizes belonging, comfort, identity
Represents property, an architectural entity
Usage in context
Can refer to a hometown, country, or emotional state
Refers specifically to a residential building
Emotional aspect
Intimately connected to the individual's psyche
Lacks emotional connotation; more functional
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Home and House Definitions
Home
A location where something is originated or based.
The region is home to various endangered species.
House
A building in which something is sheltered or located.
The university's botany department has a large greenhouse on campus.
Home
A place where one was born or raised.
Even after all these years, he still visits his childhood home.
House
A family or lineage, especially a noble or royal one.
She belongs to the House of Windsor.
Home
A place where one lives; a residence.
House
A business or institution.
He works for a publishing house.
Home
The physical structure within which one lives, such as a house or apartment.
House
A structure serving as a dwelling for one or more persons, especially for a family.
Home
A dwelling place together with the family or social unit that occupies it; a household.
House
A household or family.
Home
An environment offering security and happiness.
House
Something, such as a burrow or shell, that serves as a shelter or habitation for a wild animal.
Home
A valued place regarded as a refuge or place of origin.
House
A dwelling for a group of people, such as students or members of a religious community, who live together as a unit
A sorority house.
Home
The place, such as a country or town, where one was born or has lived for a long period.
House
A building that functions as the primary shelter or location of something
A carriage house.
The lion house at the zoo.
Home
The native habitat, as of a plant or animal.
House
A building devoted to a particular activity
A customs house.
A house of worship.
Home
The place where something is discovered, founded, developed, or promoted; a source.
House
A facility, such as a theater or restaurant, that provides entertainment or food for the public
A movie house.
The specialty of the house.
Home
A headquarters; a home base.
House
The seating area in such an establishment
Dimmed the lights in the house to signal the start of the show.
Home
(Baseball) Home plate.
House
The audience or patrons of such an establishment
A full house.
Home
(Games) Home base.
House
A commercial firm
A brokerage house.
Home
An institution where people are cared for
A home for the elderly.
House
A publishing company
A house that specializes in cookbooks.
Home
The starting position of the cursor on a text-based computer display, usually in the upper left corner of the screen.
House
A gambling casino.
Home
A starting position within a computer application, such as the beginning of a line, file, or screen or the top of a chart or list.
House
(Slang) A house of prostitution.
Home
Of or relating to a home, especially to one's household or house
Home cooking.
Home furnishings.
House
A residential college within a university.
Home
Taking place in the home
Home care for the elderly.
House
Often House A legislative or deliberative assembly.
Home
Of, relating to, or being a place of origin or headquarters
The home office.
House
The hall or chamber in which such an assembly meets.
Home
(Sports) Relating to a team's sponsoring institution or to the place where it is franchised
A home game.
The home field advantage.
House
A quorum of such an assembly.
Home
Of, relating to, or being the keys used as base positions for the fingers in touch-typing
The home row on a standard keyboard consists of the keys for A, S, D, F, J, K, L,.
, and '.
House
Often House A family line including ancestors and descendants, especially a royal or noble family
The House of Orange.
Home
At, to, or toward the direction of home
Going home for lunch.
House
One of the 12 parts into which the heavens are divided in astrology.
Home
On or into the point at which something is directed
The arrow struck home.
House
The sign of the zodiac indicating the seat or station of a planet in the heavens. Also called mansion.
Home
To the center or heart of something; deeply
Your comments really hit home.
House
House music.
Home
To go or return to one's residence or base of operations.
House
To provide living quarters for; lodge
The cottage housed ten students.
Home
To guide (a missile or aircraft) to a target.
House
To shelter, keep, or store in a house or other structure
A library housing rare books.
Home
To arrange to have (an animal) placed in a home.
House
To fit (something) into a socket or mortise.
Home
To take (an animal) into one's home.
House
(Nautical) To secure or stow safely.
Home
A dwelling.
House
To reside; dwell.
Home
One’s own dwelling place; the house or structure in which one lives; especially the house in which one lives with one's family; the habitual abode of one’s family.
House
To take shelter.
Home
The place (residence, settlement, country, etc.), where a person was born and/or raised; childhood or parental home; home of one’s parents or guardian.
Does she still live at home? - No, she moved out and got an apartment when she was 18, but she still lives in the city.
House
A structure built or serving as an abode of human beings.
This is my house and my family's ancestral home.
Home
The abiding place of the affections, especially of the domestic affections.
House
An apartment building within a public housing estate.
Home
A house that has been made home-like, to suit the comfort of those who live there.
It's what you bring into a house that makes it a home
House
(uncountable) Size and quality of residential accommodations.
Home
A place of refuge, rest or care; an asylum.
A home for outcasts
A home for the blind
A veterans' home
Instead of a pet store, get your new dog from the local dogs’ home.
House
A building intended to contain a single household, as opposed to an apartment or condominium or building containing these.
Home
(by extension) The grave; the final rest; also, the native and eternal dwelling place of the soul.
House
The people who live in a house; a household.
Home
One’s native land; the place or country in which one dwells; the place where one’s ancestors dwell or dwelt.
House
A building used for something other than a residence (typically with qualifying word).
The former carriage house had been made over into a guest house.
On arriving at the zoo, we immediately headed for the monkey house.
Home
The locality where a thing is usually found, or was first found, or where it is naturally abundant; habitat; seat.
The home of the pine
House
A place of business; a company or organisation, especially a printing press, a publishing company, or a couturier.
A small publishing house would have a contract with an independent fulfillment house.
Home
A focus point.
House
A place of public accommodation or entertainment, especially a public house, an inn, a restaurant, a theatre, or a casino; or the management thereof.
One more, sir, then I'll have to stop serving you – rules of the house, I'm afraid.
The house always wins.
Home
(board games) The ultimate point aimed at in a progress; the goal.
The object of Sorry! is to get all four of your pawns to your home.
House
(historical) A workhouse.
Home
(baseball) Home plate.
House
The audience for a live theatrical or similar performance.
Home
(lacrosse) The place of a player in front of an opponent’s goal; also, the player.
House
A theatre.
After her swan-song, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.
Home
(Internet) The landing page of a website; the site's homepage.
House
(politics) A building where a deliberative assembly meets; whence the assembly itself, particularly a component of a legislature.
The petition was so ridiculous that the house rejected it after minimal debate.
Home
The chord at which a melody starts and to which it can resolve.
House
A dynasty; a family with its ancestors and descendants, especially a royal or noble one.
A curse lay upon the House of Atreus.
Home
Clipping of home directory
House
(metaphorical) A place of rest or repose.
Home
To return to its owner.
The dog homed.
House
A grouping of schoolchildren for the purposes of competition in sports and other activities.
I was a member of Spenser house when I was at school.
Home
To seek or aim for something.
The missile was able to home in on the target.
House
An animal's shelter or den, or the shell of an animal such as a snail, used for protection.
Home
Of, from, or pertaining to one’s dwelling or country; domestic; not foreign
House
(astrology) One of the twelve divisions of an astrological chart.
Home
That strikes home; direct, pointed.
A home truth
House
(cartomancy) The fourth Lenormand card.
Home
(obsolete) Personal, intimate.
House
A square on a chessboard, regarded as the proper place of a piece.
Home
(sports) Relating to the home team (the team at whose venue a game is played).
The home end, home advantage, home supporters
House
(curling) The four concentric circles where points are scored on the ice.
Home
To one's home
House
Lotto; bingo.
Home
To one's place of residence or one's customary or official location
Go home
Come home
Carry someone home
House
(uncountable) A children's game in which the players pretend to be members of a household.
As the babysitter, Emma always acted as the mother whenever the kids demanded to play house.
Home
To one's place of birth
House
A small stand of trees in a swamp.
Home
To the place where it belongs; to the end of a course; to the full length
She drove the nail home
Ram a cartridge home
House
(sudoku) A set of cells in a Sudoku puzzle which must contain each digit exactly once, such as a row, column, or 3×3 box in classic Sudoku.
Home
(internet) To the home page
Click here to go home.
House
(music genre) House music.
Home
At or in one's place of residence or one's customary or official location; at home
Everyone's gone to watch the game; there's nobody home.
I'm home!
House
(transitive) To keep within a structure or container.
The car is housed in the garage.
Home
To a full and intimate degree; to the heart of the matter; fully, directly.
House
(transitive) To admit to residence; to harbor.
Home
Into the goal
House
To take shelter or lodging; to abide; to lodge.
Home
(nautical) into the right, proper or stowed position
Sails sheeted home
House
To dwell within one of the twelve astrological houses.
Home
See Homelyn.
House
(transitive) To contain or cover mechanical parts.
Home
One's own dwelling place; the house in which one lives; esp., the house in which one lives with his family; the habitual abode of one's family; also, one's birthplace.
The disciples went away again to their own home.
Home is the sacred refuge of our life.
Home! home! sweet, sweet home!There's no place like home.
House
(transitive) To contain one part of an object for the purpose of locating the whole.
The joists were housed into the side walls, rather than being hung from them.
Home
One's native land; the place or country in which one dwells; the place where one's ancestors dwell or dwelt.
House
(obsolete) To drive to a shelter.
Home
The abiding place of the affections, especially of the domestic affections.
He entered in his house - his home no more,For without hearts there is no home.
House
(obsolete) To deposit and cover, as in the grave.
Home
The locality where a thing is usually found, or was first found, or where it is naturally abundant; habitat; seat; as, the home of the pine.
Her eyes are homes of silent prayer.
Flandria, by plenty made the home of war.
House
(nautical) To stow in a safe place; to take down and make safe.
To house the upper spars
Home
A place of refuge and rest; an asylum; as, a home for outcasts; a home for the blind; hence, esp., the grave; the final rest; also, the native and eternal dwelling place of the soul.
Man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets.
House
To eat.
Home
The home base; as, he started for home.
House
A structure intended or used as a habitation or shelter for animals of any kind; but especially, a building or edifice for the habitation of man; a dwelling place, a mansion.
Houses are built to live in; not to look on.
Bees with smoke and doves with noisome stenchAre from their hives and houses driven away.
Home
Of or pertaining to one's dwelling or country; domestic; not foreign; as home manufactures; home comforts.
House
Household affairs; domestic concerns; particularly in the phrase to keep house. See below.
Home
Close; personal; pointed; as, a home thrust.
House
Those who dwell in the same house; a household.
One that feared God with all his house.
Home
In various games, the ultimate point aimed at in a progress; goal
House
A family of ancestors, descendants, and kindred; a race of persons from the same stock; a tribe; especially, a noble family or an illustrious race; as, the house of Austria; the house of Hanover; the house of Israel.
The last remaining pillar of their house,The one transmitter of their ancient name.
Home
To one's home or country; as in the phrases, go home, come home, carry home.
House
One of the estates of a kingdom or other government assembled in parliament or legislature; a body of men united in a legislative capacity; as, the House of Lords; the House of Commons; the House of Representatives; also, a quorum of such a body. See Congress, and Parliament.
Home
Close; closely.
How home the charge reaches us, has been made out.
They come home to men's business and bosoms.
House
A firm, or commercial establishment.
Home
To the place where it belongs; to the end of a course; to the full length; as, to drive a nail home; to ram a cartridge home.
Wear thy good rapier bare and put it home.
House
A public house; an inn; a hotel.
Home
To return home.
House
A twelfth part of the heavens, as divided by six circles intersecting at the north and south points of the horizon, used by astrologers in noting the positions of the heavenly bodies, and casting horoscopes or nativities. The houses were regarded as fixed in respect to the horizon, and numbered from the one at the eastern horizon, called the ascendant, first house, or house of life, downward, or in the direction of the earth's revolution, the stars and planets passing through them in the reverse order every twenty-four hours.
Home
To proceed toward an object or location intended as a target; - of missiles which can change course in flight under internal or external control; usually used with in on; as, the missile homed in on the radar site.
House
A square on a chessboard, regarded as the proper place of a piece.
Home
To arrive at or get closer to an object sought or an intended goal; used with in on; as, the repairman quickly homed in on the cause of the malfunction.
House
An audience; an assembly of hearers, as at a lecture, a theater, etc.; as, a thin or a full house.
Home
Where you live at a particular time;
Deliver the package to my home
He doesn't have a home to go to
Your place or mine?
House
The body, as the habitation of the soul.
This mortal house I'll ruin,Do Cæsar what he can.
Home
Housing that someone is living in;
He built a modest dwelling near the pond
They raise money to provide homes for the homeless
House
The grave.
Home
The country or state or city where you live;
Canadian tariffs enabled United States lumber companies to raise prices at home
His home is New Jersey
House
To take or put into a house; to shelter under a roof; to cover from the inclemencies of the weather; to protect by covering; as, to house one's family in a comfortable home; to house farming utensils; to house cattle.
At length have housed me in a humble shed.
House your choicest carnations, or rather set them under a penthouse.
Home
An environment offering affection and security;
Home is where the heart is
He grew up in a good Christian home
There's no place like home
House
To drive to a shelter.
Home
An institution where people are cared for;
A home for the elderly
House
To admit to residence; to harbor.
Palladius wished him to house all the Helots.
Home
The place where you are stationed and from which missions start and end
House
To deposit and cover, as in the grave.
Home
A social unit living together;
He moved his family to Virginia
It was a good Christian household
I waited until the whole house was asleep
The teacher asked how many people made up his home
House
To stow in a safe place; to take down and make safe; as, to house the upper spars.
Home
(baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score;
He ruled that the runner failed to touch home
House
To take shelter or lodging; to abide to dwell; to lodge.
You shall not house with me.
Home
Place where something began and flourished;
The United States is the home of basketball
House
A dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families;
He has a house on Cape Cod
She felt she had to get out of the house
Home
Provide with, or send to, a home
House
An official assembly having legislative powers;
The legislature has two houses
Home
Return home accurately from a long distance;
Homing pigeons
House
A building in which something is sheltered or located;
They had a large carriage house
Home
Used of your own ground;
A home game
House
A social unit living together;
He moved his family to Virginia
It was a good Christian household
I waited until the whole house was asleep
The teacher asked how many people made up his home
Home
Relating to or being where one lives or where one's roots are;
My home town
House
A building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented;
The house was full
Home
Inside the country;
The British Home Office has broader responsibilities than the United States Department of the Interior
The nation's internal politics
House
Members of a business organization that owns or operates one or more establishments;
He worked for a brokerage house
Home
At or to or in the direction of one's home or family;
He stays home on weekends
After the game the children brought friends home for supper
I'll be home tomorrow
Came riding home in style
I hope you will come home for Christmas
I'll take her home
Don't forget to write home
House
Aristocratic family line;
The House of York
Home
On or to the point aimed at;
The arrow struck home
House
The members of a religious community living together
Home
To the fullest extent; to the heart;
Drove the nail home
Drove his point home
His comments hit home
House
The audience gathered together in a theatre or cinema;
The house applauded
He counted the house
Home
A place where one lives and feels a sense of belonging.
No matter where I travel, it's always good to return home.
House
Play in which children take the roles of father or mother or children and pretend to interact like adults;
The children were playing house
Home
A repository or headquarters for something.
The library is home to an extensive collection of ancient manuscripts.
House
(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided
House
The management of a gambling house or casino;
The house gets a percentage of every bet
House
Contain or cover;
This box houses the gears
House
Provide housing for;
The immigrants were housed in a new development outside the town
House
A building for human habitation.
The house at the end of the street is for sale.
House
A legislative or deliberative assembly.
The bill passed in both houses of Congress.
FAQs
Can an apartment be a "house"?
Technically, an apartment is a type of residence but not a "house" in the traditional sense.
Can "home" refer to a country?
Yes, "home" can signify a homeland or country of origin.
Is "home" always a location?
No, it can be an abstract concept or emotional state.
Can a house be a home?
Yes, a house becomes a home when emotional value is attached to it.
Does a "house" imply ownership?
Not necessarily; a house can be owned, rented, or leased.
Can a person be "home"?
Figuratively, yes. People often feel "at home" with someone emotionally close.
Is "house" used in politics?
Yes, e.g., "House of Representatives" or "House of Commons."
Can "house" refer to a dynasty?
Yes, especially in historical or monarchical contexts.
Is "home" a tangible asset?
No, it's often intangible, tied to feelings or memories.
Is "home" more emotional?
Yes, "home" often involves feelings of comfort and belonging.
Is a "house" purely architectural?
Largely, yes. It refers to a structure.
Are there different types of "houses"?
Yes, like single-family houses, townhouses, and mansions.
Can "home" be used in idioms?
Yes, like "home sweet home" or "feels like home."
Does "house" have a legal context?
Yes, in terms of property laws and ownership.
Does everyone have a "home"?
While most have a physical residence, a "home" in the emotional sense isn't guaranteed.
Are the terms interchangeable?
Context matters, but they generally signify different concepts.
Can animals have "houses"?
They have habitats or shelters, not "houses" in the human context.
Can businesses be called "houses"?
Yes, like a publishing house or fashion house.
Can "home" change over time?
Yes, as people's lives and emotions evolve.
Are there synonyms for "home"?
Abode, dwelling, and haven can be synonyms.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
