mansion

American  

[man-shuhn] / ˈmæn ʃən /

noun

• mansions
  plural

1. a very large, impressive, or stately residence.

2. manor house.

3. British. Often mansions. a large building with many apartments; apartment house.

4. Oriental and Medieval Astronomy. each of 28 divisions of the ecliptic occupied by the moon on successive days.

5. Archaic. an abode or dwelling place.

---

mansion British  

/ ˈmænʃən /

noun

1. Also called: mansion house. a large and imposing house

2. a less common word for manor house

3. archaic any residence

4. (plural) a block of flats

5. astrology any of 28 divisions of the zodiac each occupied on successive days by the moon

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mansions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mansion

1325–75; Middle English < Latin mānsiōn- (stem of mānsiō ) an abiding, abode. See manse, -ion

Explanation

A mansion is a huge, fancy house. Some mansions are eventually turned into museums where you can get a look at an old wealthy family's art and furniture collections. It takes a lot of money and a staff of workers to live in and take care of a mansion. Historically, post-fifteenth century European noblemen lived in mansions that became the typical style of home for aristocrats who no longer required the safety of fortified castles. The word mansion comes from the Latin root mansionem, "a staying or a remaining," from the stem manere, "to stay."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mansion mansions

That residence sits closer to the center of town, roughly a four-minute drive from the Duxbury Bay mansion.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026

That one’s about spirits from different eras who were forced to cohabitate mostly alone until a living human couple moved into their mansion.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

The mansion also spent some time on the rental market with a $35,000 a month price tag.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026

The mansion allegedly had 32 motion-activated cameras which Hochman said were used by the couple to monitor the discipline given by the nannies.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

The mansion stands before me in the distance.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

The detached single-family house has been the great constant of American life, from the saltbox farmhouses of 17th-century New England to the modern mansions of 2020s suburbia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

She argued the tax is stopping needed development in the city because it applies not only to mansions, but apartment buildings as well.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2026

She refuses to be drawn when asked if her family occupy mansions in The Gambia, and how they were paid for.

From BBC ● May 17, 2026

Immigrants lived near the mission, and esteemed Spanish Mexican families lived in large mansions around the churches that dot Old Town in the mid-19th century — many came post-Spanish-Mexican wars.

From Salon ● May 9, 2026

There’s the cathedral with its perforated spire, and the bulky old Chateau de Saint-Malo, and row after row of seaside mansions studded with chimneys.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

Related Words

• building
• dwelling
• estate
• hall
• home
• manor
• palace
• residence