flophouse

American  

[flop-hous] / ˈflɒpˌhaʊs /

noun

plural

flophouses

1. a cheap, run-down hotel or rooming house.

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flophouse British  

/ ˈflɒpˌhaʊs /

noun

1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): dosshouse.  slang a cheap lodging house, esp one used by tramps

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Etymology

Origin of flophouse

First recorded in 1890–95; flop + house

Example Sentences

For almost every character, the film is one hardship after another: late buses, empty wallets, a basement flophouse, capricious bullies.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 8, 2023

Part of the scheme involved an alleged plan to remove permit violations in the flophouse owned by Mr. Pelosi.

From Washington Times • Feb. 1, 2022

Sure, your mom might think your bedroom looks like a flophouse, but how many people are in your bedroom regularly?

From Slate • Mar. 10, 2020

“He was a young father, he had a flophouse, he had the secondary life where he kept other things away from people… Everything came together as a bit of a perfect storm for him.”

From Fox News • Jan. 25, 2020

After a week, I have compiled the following survey: Gail is sharing a room in a well-known downtown flophouse for $250 a week.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich