open house
Americannoun
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a party or reception during which anyone who wishes may visit to share in a celebration, meet a special guest, etc.
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a time during which a school, institution, etc., is open to the public for exhibition or for some specific occasion.
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a house hospitably open to all friends who may wish to visit it.
idioms
noun
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Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): open day. at-home. an occasion on which an institution, such as a school, is open for inspection by the public
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to be always ready to provide hospitality
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a house available for inspection by prospective buyers
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of open house
First recorded in 1520–30
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.
Carlson was outside a packed open house for a three-bedroom, two-bath condo on Buchanan Street in Pacific Heights.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 15, 2026
Getting into the holiday spirit: This year, local vintage store owners are collaborating on a special open house that aims to collect food and donations for needy families.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 6, 2025
The open house ends on 7 December and is sold out with a waiting list of 500 people.
From BBC ● Dec. 5, 2025
Her open house is very different to a gallery experience.
From BBC ● Dec. 5, 2025
“Dessert. Got it at the open house for you.”
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
