bungalow
Americannoun
-
a cottage of one story.
-
(in India) a one-storied thatched or tiled house, usually surrounded by a veranda.
-
(in the U.S.) a derivation of the Indian house type, popular especially during the first quarter of the 20th century, usually having one and a half stories, a widely bracketed gable roof, and a multi-windowed dormer and frequently built of rustic materials.
noun
-
a one-storey house, sometimes with an attic
-
(in India) a one-storey house, usually surrounded by a veranda
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of bungalow
First recorded in 1670–80, bungalow is from the Hindi word banglā literally, of Bengal
Explanation
A bungalow is a little house. If you’re not ready for the three-story house in the suburbs just yet, you might try living in a bungalow. The word bungalow was originally used to describe the temporary houses set up by English sailors traveling to India to work for the East India Company. These little houses were often just one story high with a thatched roof. Nowadays, the word bungalow can be used to describe any one story house. Think of the little cabin you slept in at summer camp — that’s a kind of bungalow.
Vocabulary lists containing bungalow
There's No Word Like Home
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" by Rudyard Kipling
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began" by Art Spiegelman
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
When Nikki Little and John Porter retired, they considered buying a bungalow for just the two of them.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
The bungalow doesn't look much like a children's home.
From BBC • May 20, 2026
Farr, 56, purchased the four-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom property in 2011 when she and her then-husband, Seung Yong Chung, realized the Spanish bungalow they had been living in could no longer accommodate their rapidly expanding brood.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026
They’ve purchased a 3,600-square-foot suburban house to replace their 1,400-square-foot Altadena bungalow.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026
Then he faced a long trudge back to the bungalow for a change of clothes.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
