condominium

American  

[kon-duh-min-ee-uhm] / ˌkɒn dəˈmɪn i əm /

noun

• condominiums
  plural

1. an apartment house, office building, or other multiple-unit complex, the units of which are individually owned, each owner receiving a recordable deed to the individual unit purchased, including the right to sell, mortgage, etc., that unit and sharing in joint ownership of any common grounds, passageways, etc.

2. a unit in such a building.

3. International Law.

   1. joint sovereignty over a territory by several states.

   2. the territory itself.

4. joint or concurrent dominion.

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condominium British  

/ ˌkɒndəˈmɪnɪəm /

noun

1. joint rule or sovereignty

2. a country ruled by two or more foreign powers

3. Sometimes shortened to: condo.  Compare cooperative

   1. an apartment building in which each apartment is individually wholly owned and the common areas are jointly owned

   2. the title under which an apartment in such a building is owned

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• mini-condominium
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• condominiums
  plural

Etymology

Origin of condominium

1705–15; < New Latin. See con-, dominium

Explanation

A condominium is a building made up of privately owned apartments. Your grandparents might decide to move into a condominium in Florida. A condominium is split into units, which can be apartments, floors of houses, or even entire houses — each of these units is also a condominium. Rather than renting from a landlord, the way you do with an apartment, each occupant owns his or her individual condominium, and they all contribute money each month for maintenance and upkeep. The Modern Latin meaning of condominium is "joint rule or sovereignty," combining com-, "together," and dominum, "right of ownership."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

condominium condominiums

Recently in West Hollywood, a pack of coyotes began occupying an abandoned condominium construction site.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026

Adding to the confusion, letters told homeowners they have until Aug. 21 to submit an exemption application if they live in a townhouse or condominium, and until Aug. 24 if they live in a co-op.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

The housing project, which was billed as a four-story, 22-unit residential condominium development, has been in the works since at least 2017, but appears to have stalled several years ago.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

Australia uses a system known as strata, which Sherry describes as a form of commonhold similar to the condominium model used in the United States and other countries.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

He lives in a high-rise condominium on the beach in Florida.

From "The View From Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg

As a real estate mogul, Trump has long invested in hotels, condominiums and golf courses.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

Historic villas are giving way to multiple condominiums.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

The number of condominiums sold in Los Angeles County in January and February was the lowest it’s been since 2005.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026

The tax would target homes, co-ops and condominiums that are valued above $5 million when the owner’s primary residence is elsewhere.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 27, 2026

Fizz gets off, and I go on to my creaky building in the midst of a congregation of old condominiums, neither retro cool nor demolition ready—yet.

From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali

Related Words

• apartment
• co-op
• condo
• townhouse