homey
1 Americanadjective
noun
plural
homeys, homiesadjective
noun
Usage
What does homey mean? Homey is used to describe a place as cozy, comfortable, and inviting. It’s often used to describe a home that feels this way. You might discuss ways of making your place (or a particular room in it) more homey, typically by decorating it in a way that makes it cozier or more comfortable. Homey can also be used to describe a place that’s not a home but that’s comfortable and inviting like your own home, such as a hotel room, cozy restaurant, or nicely decorated office. Example: The new fireplace makes the living room feel so homey. Unrelatedly, homey is an alternative spelling of the noun homie, which is a slang term for a close friend. It can be used to refer to a friend, as in This is my homey Russel, or as a term of address for one, as in Hey, homey!Example: I’m having a night out with just me and my homeys.
Related Words
See homely.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of homey1
First recorded in 1850–55; home + -y 1
Origin of homey2
First recorded in 1990–95
Vocabulary lists containing homey
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Calgary, where I'm from, feels a little less like homey than LA," McRae said.
From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026
I believe that companies should focus on how to make the workplace more comfortable, even homey.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026
“It’s the go-to style for warmth. That homey feeling of coziness. Which is why a lot of filming is done in this area,” says Dela Cruz.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 8, 2025
“The Lowdown” travels through the streets and byways of Oklahoma prairie country in a way that celebrates its homey beauty, with scenes bathed in the golden light typically associated with L.A. noir.
From Salon • Sep. 23, 2025
But this new apartment felt homey and welcoming.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
