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

McGroggan's was famous for its homemade ice cream.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

The siblings concocted complex lineages and histories for their countries, writing Angrian and Gondalian tales and verse in tiny homemade books.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

As Debbie sat at the register inside, helping a steady flow of the shop’s final patrons, protesters gathered behind the building, clutching homemade posters and waiting for Jeremy to speak.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

So much aspirational frugal cooking quietly assumes you have endless time, energy and executive function to devote to homemade bread, all-day braises and deeply involved kitchen projects.

From Salon • May 19, 2026

I hadn’t realized how hungry I am until I smell the fried chicken, string beans, macaroni and cheese, and homemade dinner rolls.

From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson

Related Words

• handmade