Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

outbuilding

American  
[out-bil-ding] / ˈaʊtˌbɪl dɪŋ /

noun

  1. a detached building subordinate to a main building.


outbuilding British  
/ ˈaʊtˌbɪldɪŋ /

noun

  1. a building subordinate to but separate from a main building; outhouse

"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 outbuilding

First recorded in 1620–30; out- + building

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.

See Examples For:

The shop, a small outbuilding adjacent to a used car lot, now sat empty; its fading sign still stood roadside.

From Salon Jun. 2, 2026

Still wearing his black-tie outfit and flanked by Kash Patel and Pete Hegseth, Trump told reporters that the attempt only strengthened his resolve to finish the White House outbuilding.

From Salon Apr. 26, 2026

The Wiltshire Council signed off on his plans to build an ornamental outbuilding, a three-story extension, the lake and a driveway that curves around it.

From The Wall Street Journal Oct. 2, 2025

Another fire at an outbuilding close to the property was also extinguished.

From BBC Jun. 22, 2025

I head straight toward an abandoned outbuilding on the far edge of the property.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training