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.

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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

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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

MIAMI—At a sprawling waterfront mansion facing Biscayne Bay, a group of wealthy Cuban-Americans has spent months hatching detailed plans for a country that doesn’t yet exist.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026

Bigger, perhaps, than all is the New York City mayor’s mansion, where Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani resides.

From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2026

Actor Nicolas Cage’s lavish Malibu mansion is facing a dramatic threat after a massive hole opened up where part of the property’s driveway once stood.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026

Police are looking into the report of an alleged prowler who, “clad in black,” was spotted trespassing at the Oscar-winning director’s Hollywood Hills mansion Wednesday afternoon.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

We reach the fenced-in edge of the Park and start back toward the mansion.

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

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

In 2020, he became part of the gold rush of influencers who moved into mansions in Los Angeles to make content together.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026

Prices have increased in places like Miramar, Nuevo Vedado and Vedado -- neighborhoods with neoclassical mansions, embassies and art deco jewels.

From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026

These mansions had been built by wealthy white families in the late nineteenth century and included two to four bathrooms, electric lighting, gas furnaces, and steam heat.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield

Related Words

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