homemade

American  

[hohm-meyd] / ˈhoʊmˈmeɪd /

adjective

1. made or prepared at home, locally, or by the maker's own efforts.

   The restaurant's pastry is homemade. Breakfast at the farmhouse always meant homemade preserves.

2. made in one's own country; domestic.

   I prefer a homemade car to one of those foreign models.

3. made, contrived, or assembled by oneself; not professionally made or done; amateurish.

   the plain look of homemade furniture.

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Etymology

Origin of homemade

First recorded in 1650–60; home + made

Explanation

Something that's homemade is created by a real person, usually in their own house, rather than being mass-produced. Your dad's homemade apple pie is the best you've ever tasted. Your famous homemade chocolate chip cookies are likely to be a bigger hit at the bake sale than a box of ginger snaps dumped on a plate. And the homemade sweater you got for your birthday might be a little itchy, but it's special because your aunt lovingly knitted it herself, using yarn in your favorite color. Homemade things aren't just made at home — they're also usually made with more care than goods produced in factories.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

homemade

Capt. Kyle Stevens of the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office told the San Francisco Chronicle that the office believed the roughly 6-inch-long object was a homemade firework.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

The first episode, which dropped earlier this month, teaches viewers how to make homemade mayo and hot sauce.

From Salon ● Jul. 2, 2026

But Germany’s misfortunes are also partly homemade, economists say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

Spread your homemade mashed potatoes on a plate, adding a few dollops here and there to add a bit of variety to your Jurassic Park landscape.

From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026

"He brought us both homemade cookies from his mom too. They were real this time."

From "The Cinderella Ballet Mystery: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #4" by Carolyn Keene

Related Words

• handmade