mansion

American  

[man-shuhn] / ˈmæn ʃən /

noun

• mansions
  plural

1. a very large, impressive, or stately residence.

2. manor house.

3. British. Often mansions. a large building with many apartments; apartment house.

4. Oriental and Medieval Astronomy. each of 28 divisions of the ecliptic occupied by the moon on successive days.

5. Archaic. an abode or dwelling place.

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mansion British  

/ ˈmænʃən /

noun

1. Also called: mansion house.  a large and imposing house

2. a less common word for manor house

3. archaic any residence

4. (plural) a block of flats

5. astrology any of 28 divisions of the zodiac each occupied on successive days by the moon

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mansions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mansion

1325–75; Middle English < Latin mānsiōn- (stem of mānsiō ) an abiding, abode. See manse, -ion

Explanation

A mansion is a huge, fancy house. Some mansions are eventually turned into museums where you can get a look at an old wealthy family's art and furniture collections. It takes a lot of money and a staff of workers to live in and take care of a mansion. Historically, post-fifteenth century European noblemen lived in mansions that became the typical style of home for aristocrats who no longer required the safety of fortified castles. The word mansion comes from the Latin root mansionem, "a staying or a remaining," from the stem manere, "to stay."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mansion mansions

Rogan’s 11,000-square-foot mansion sits on 4 acres and has access to 300 feet of the Lake Austin frontage.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

The family previously moved to a mansion in Fair Oaks that they purchased for $3.7 million in 2019 following a brief residence at the Governor’s Mansion in downtown Sacramento.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

He had moved into a mansion in the city’s patrician Nob Hill neighborhood, entertaining an eclectic set of guests who made their way up the home’s steep driveway to enjoy its sweeping views.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

Katrina, 29, has spent the last 10 months living with around 50 other people in an Edwardian mansion in Hampstead, London, which was used as a care home until 2015.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

Twig and her mom live in this mansion of a house.

From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller

The detached single-family house has been the great constant of American life, from the saltbox farmhouses of 17th-century New England to the modern mansions of 2020s suburbia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

She refuses to be drawn when asked if her family occupy mansions in The Gambia, and how they were paid for.

From BBC ● May 17, 2026

Immigrants lived near the mission, and esteemed Spanish Mexican families lived in large mansions around the churches that dot Old Town in the mid-19th century — many came post-Spanish-Mexican wars.

From Salon ● May 9, 2026

Prices have increased in places like Miramar, Nuevo Vedado and Vedado -- neighborhoods with neoclassical mansions, embassies and art deco jewels.

From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026

I peel back the curtains, and diamond-paned city-lanterns illuminate rich limestone mansions and townhouses in the aristocratic Rose Quartier.

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton

Related Words

• building
• dwelling
• estate
• hall
• home
• manor
• palace
• residence