split-level

American  

[split-lev-uhl] / ˈsplɪtˈlɛv əl /

adjective

1. noting a house having a room or rooms that are somewhat above or below adjacent rooms, with the floor levels usually differing by approximately half a story.

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noun

1. a split-level house.

split-level British  

adjective

1. (of a house, room, etc) having the floor level of one part about half a storey above or below the floor level of an adjoining part

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Etymology

Origin of split-level

First recorded in 1945–50

Compare meaning

How does split-level compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• split-level vs. bi-level

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

split-level

“Located in the desirable Breakwater Shores neighborhood, this split-level residence overlooking the pond offers coastal living with peaceful water views and glimpses of the ocean beyond,” the description continues.

From MarketWatch ● May 27, 2026

We lived in a beige-and-brown, two-story split-level house that my parents bought in 1980, the year I was born.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2025

All of the five shops it is hoping to open before Christmas are expected to be quite different - some single-level, other split-level and an out-of-town retail park reportedly on the cards.

From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2023

HGTV’s reproduction of the fictional Brady house has mangled the real-deal, late-’50s split-level home designed by Harry M. Londelius.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2023

Jennifer's staircase always made me wish I lived in a two-story house instead of a split-level.

From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English