housemaster

American  

[hous-mas-ter, -mah-ster] / ˈhaʊsˌmæs tər, -ˌmɑ stər /

noun

1. a man who is in charge of a house or a dormitory in a private school for boys.

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housemaster British  

/ ˈhaʊsˌmɪstrɪs, ˈhaʊsˌmɑːstə /

noun

1. a teacher, esp in a boarding school, responsible for the pupils in his house

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Other Word Forms

• housemastership noun
• housemistress noun

Etymology

Origin of housemaster

First recorded in 1875–80; house + master

Example Sentences

At the time, Phelps was a deputy boarding housemaster, tutor and performing arts technician at the senior school for students aged 13 to 18.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

They begin in 1945, when le Carré, whose real name was David Cornwell, is 14 years old, and writes to his future boarding-school housemaster to say he is looking forward to school.

From New York Times • Nov. 30, 2022

For one thing, he had the good fortune to be assigned to a housemaster, Arthur Goodhart, who was a lax disciplinarian and who thought that music was more important than sports.

From The New Yorker • Nov. 5, 2018

His housemaster told the straight-A student's mother: "Thomas will either end up in jail or be president."

From The Guardian • Dec. 20, 2012

Reverend Mokitimi stood his ground: “Dr. Wellington, I am the housemaster and I have told you that I will report to you tomorrow, and that is what I will do.”

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela