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greenhouse

American  
[green-hous] / ˈgrinˌhaʊs /

noun

plural

greenhouses

  1. a building, room, or area, usually chiefly of glass, in which the temperature is maintained within a desired range, used for cultivating tender plants or growing plants out of season.

greenhouse British  
/ ˈɡriːnˌhaʊs /

noun

  1. a building with transparent walls and roof, usually of glass, for the cultivation and exhibition of plants under controlled conditions

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of greenhouse

First recorded in 1655–65; green + house

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Fusion, the reaction that powers the sun, has long been considered the ultimate clean-energy prize: potentially limitless electricity without greenhouse gases or radioactive waste.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

Coal -- a fuel that emits the highest levels of greenhouse gases -- has the largest share, followed by renewable energy, according to the IEA.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

The climate change plan was drawn up after the Scottish government replaced its annual targets for reducing planet warming greenhouse gas emissions with five-yearly carbon budgets.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

Food production plays a major role in environmental issues, including greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss.

From Science Daily • Mar. 23, 2026

After all, I hadn’t gotten the greenhouse orchid from New Mexico.

From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.