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, a large alligator took up residence in a pond within our condominium community.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

The property at the corner of Spaulding Avenue and Romaine Street in West Hollywood was expected years ago to be transformed into a condominium development that could house dozens of people.

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

Amy Cooke and her husband have been proudly flying the U.S. flag outside their San Marcos condominium for more than 20 years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

She propped the foam-board-mounted artist’s rendering of his next towering condominium project on an easel.

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein

Kevin, a tenant who also works in property sales for Forest City, believes scammers are still operating in "condominiums or serviced apartments" in the complex.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

A nearby homeless encampment pushed the condominiums to their breaking point.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 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

An uptick in demand coupled with the city’s notorious lack of housing supply means that fierce bidding wars are breaking out again for single-family homes and condominiums in desirable neighborhoods.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 15, 2026

Waterfront buildings glided slowly by, boatyards, condominiums with great glass windows looking out over the water, an occasional small house in the middle of a green lawn.

From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt

Related Words

• apartment
• co-op
• condo
• townhouse