at-home

[at-hohm]

noun

1. Also at home a reception of visitors at certain hours at one's home.

adjective

1. done or used in the home; intended for one's home.

   a new line of at-home computers; at-home assignments for free-lance workers.

at-home

noun

1. another name for open day

2. a social gathering in a person's home

Word History and Origins

Origin of at home¹

First recorded in 1740–45

Idioms and Phrases

In one's own residence, town, or country. For example, Mary was not at home when I called , or Tourists in a foreign country often behave more rudely than they do at home . This idiom was first recorded in a ninth-century treatise.

Ready to receive a visitor, as in We are always at home to our neighbor's children . This usage gave rise to the noun at-home , meaning a reception to which guests are invited on a specific day at specific hours (also see open house ). [c. 1600]

Also, at home with . Comfortable and familiar, as in Mary always makes us feel at home , or I've never been at home with his style of management . [Early 1500s] Also see at ease , def. 1.

Also, at home with . Proficient, well-versed in, as in Young John is so much at home with numbers that he may well become a mathematician , or Chris is really at home in French . [Late 1700s]

In team sports, playing on one's own field or in one's own town. For example, The Red Sox always do better at home than they do at away games .

Example Sentences

Many people credit the at-home jabs with helping them quickly lose weight, but some are finding their self-confidence has been dented by how their arms, stomach, breasts and thighs now look.

From BBC

These at-home demands are the primary reason women drop out of the workforce and become financially dependent on men.

From Slate

There haven't yet been any major studies and so hard data is limited, but it's thought by some that at-home chemo could potentially boost survival chances by lowering the risk of a patient catching an infection while in hospital.

From BBC

“Until celebrities are doing their at-home Glambots as good as I am on the red carpet, there’s still job security!” he says with a laugh.

From Los Angeles Times

Di Carlo’s research is partly focused on developing an at-home test that would detect Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, which are on the rise.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• banquet 
• barbecue 
• bash 
• feast 
• festivity 
• gala 
• luncheon 
• reception 
• shindig