Synonyms

housemate

American

[hous-meyt] / ˈhaʊsˌmeɪt /

noun

a person with whom one shares a house or other residence.
a sexual partner with whom one shares a house or other living quarters without being married.

housemate British

/ ˈhaʊsˌmeɪt /

noun

a person who is not part of the same family, but with whom one shares a house

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of housemate

First recorded in 1800–10; house + mate ¹

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.

Housemate Ella Jennings described how compassionate and caring she is, and how Lily would go out of her way to help others.

From BBC • Sep. 15, 2025

"Housemate Lucy got Taylor Swift tickets, so everything is now alright in the world and there is no tension in the living quarters," added singer Grace Davies.

From BBC • Jul. 10, 2023

Trains in Tampa, Fla. Housemate in Tampa: John Isner, whose loss to Philipp Kohlschreiber on Saturday left Smyczek as the last American man in the singles draw.

From New York Times • Sep. 1, 2013

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023