cottage

American  

[kot-ij] / ˈkɒt ɪdʒ /

noun

1. a small house, usually of only one story.

2. a small, modest house at a lake, mountain resort, etc., owned or rented as a vacation home.

3. one of a group of small, separate houses, as for patients at a hospital, guests at a hotel, or students at a boarding school.

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cottage British  

/ ˈkɒtɪdʒ /

noun

1. a small simple house, esp in a rural area

2. a small house in the country or at a resort, used for holiday purposes

3. one of several housing units, as at a hospital, for accommodating people in groups

4. slang a public lavatory

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Other Word Forms

• cottaged adjective

Etymology

Origin of cottage

1350–1400; Middle English cotage. See cot ², -age; compare Medieval Latin cotagium, apparently < Anglo-French

Example Sentences

The problem was that when the beach cottage sold, I became the executor of the proceeds for my brother.

From The Wall Street Journal

Thankfully, a cottage industry of podcast sages has sprung up to parse the chaos for us.

From Los Angeles Times

In the listing for the one-night rental—which was available only on Aug. 19, 2023—the cottage, which has now been demolished, was described as being able to accommodate four guests in two bedrooms.

From MarketWatch

Four guest cottages were arranged around the pool area.

From The Wall Street Journal

The trend has spawned a cottage industry of e-books, Zoom workshops by “vaccine friendly” doctors offering alternative schedules, bespoke inoculations and post-vaccine detox regimens.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bungalow
• cabin
• chalet
• home
• hut
• lean-to
• lodge
• ranch
• shack
• shanty