household
Americannoun
adjective
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of or relating to a household.
household furniture.
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for use in maintaining a home, especially for use in cooking, cleaning, laundering, repairing, etc., in the home.
a household bleach.
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common or usual; ordinary.
noun
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the people living together in one house collectively
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(modifier) of, relating to, or used in the running of a household; domestic
household management
Etymology
Origin of household
First recorded in 1350–1400, household is from the Middle English word houshold. See house, hold 1
Explanation
How many people does your house hold? That’s your household! A household refers to a family or group of people living together. It’s a social unit under one roof. All the people living in your house, including servants, make up your household. Don’t have any servants? Well, your roommates count as part of your household, too. In the middle of the night, your household might be asleep. Your household income could determine whether or not you get the pool in the backyard. Household can also be an adjective to describe — you guessed it — things that are in your house, like household appliances or household furniture.
Vocabulary lists containing household
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.
"Even if gas prices stay steady, the non-commodity elements of the household electricity bill are likely to go up," says Rachel Fletcher, director of economics at Octopus Energy.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
A different set of inflation data out this week “showed real household disposable incomes were flatlining before the Middle East conflict,” Knightley wrote.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026
Some economists calculate the oil price surge will cost each US household at least $350 per household.
From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026
“Declining property prices continue to erode household wealth, suggesting that consumption will likely remain subdued in the near term,” DBS’s economics team said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
Among them was the talented seamstress Gracy, who had nursed Sarah’s children and been elevated to a supervisor of other household members.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
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.
