mews

British  

/ mjuːz /

noun

1. a yard or street lined by buildings originally used as stables but now often converted into dwellings

2. the buildings around a mews

3. informal an individual residence in a mews

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Etymology

Origin of mews

C14: pl of _mew ³, originally referring to royal stables built on the site of hawks' mews at Charing Cross in London

Explanation

The word mews refers to a row of attached houses that often runs an entire block. Traditional mews have either been converted to housing from stables, or just built to appear that way. You'll find most mews in Britain (in the U.S. they're more likely to be called "townhouses" or "row houses"). The word mews originally referred to a row of horse stables with housing on the second floor, facing an open yard or alley. Today most mews are either these same stables converted entirely to living space, or new construction that mimics the old mews.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mews

"Now, doesn't that look normal?" she mews to the studio audience as the camera zooms in on her creation.

From Salon ● May 16, 2023

The raptors live in spacious mews that take up much of the small property’s side yard; the pool was filled in to make room.

From New York Times ● Jun. 23, 2022

Yet as he lay horizontally watching the show in his red bunk bed, those same yips and mews and zings never got old.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2021

“I was livestreaming for the best part of 45 minutes,” said Henry Pryor, a luxury buying agent who let the John Nash-designed regency property, which came complete with a mews house for staff quarters.

From The Guardian ● Aug. 18, 2017

In the morning, he sits stoically as I clean the cuts, but digging the thorn from his paw brings on a round of those kitten mews.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins