at-home: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, occasionally journalistic.
Quick answer
What does “at-home” mean?
Happening in one's own home.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Happening in one's own home; designed to be conducted or used in a domestic setting.
Pertaining to a social event or service held in a private residence rather than a public venue; suggesting comfort, informality, or convenience associated with home.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More common and slightly more formal in British English; in American English, alternatives like 'home' (e.g., home service) or 'in-home' are often preferred.
Connotations
In UK, can imply a genteel, organised event (e.g., an at-home). In US, leans more towards practical service contexts (e.g., at-home testing).
Frequency
Low frequency in both, but higher in British English in specific social/event contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “at-home” in a Sentence
[attributive adjective] + nounto have + an + at-homeVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “at-home” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- She hosted an elegant at-home for her charity committee.
- The company provides at-home tutoring for GCSE students.
American English
- Many patients now prefer at-home COVID tests.
- The at-home massage service has become very popular.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in service industries to denote services provided at a customer's residence (e.g., 'at-home beauty treatments').
Academic
Rare; may appear in sociological texts discussing domestic labour or telework.
Everyday
Used for convenience services or informal gatherings (e.g., 'an at-home movie night').
Technical
Used in healthcare for 'at-home diagnostics' or 'at-home monitoring'.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “at-home”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “at-home”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “at-home”
- Using it predictively (*'The service is at-home') – it's usually attributive.
- Omitting the hyphen, which can cause ambiguity (e.g., 'at home test' vs. 'at-home test').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a hyphenated compound adjective (e.g., at-home service). The unhyphenated 'at home' is an adverbial phrase (e.g., I stayed at home).
No, this is a common mistake. 'At-home' is almost always used before a noun (attributively). Say 'It is an at-home appointment' or 'The appointment is at my home/in my home.'
They are largely synonymous in American English, though 'in-home' is more common for services (in-home care). 'At-home' has a broader use, including social events. In British English, 'at-home' is more established, especially for events.
It is dated but understood, primarily in British English and historical contexts. It refers to a formal reception held in one's own home on a specified day.
Happening in one's own home.
At-home is usually formal, occasionally journalistic. in register.
At-home: in British English it is pronounced /ət ˈhəʊm/, and in American English it is pronounced /ət ˈhoʊm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “She was 'at home' to visitors on Tuesday afternoons. (A fixed, dated phrase for receiving guests)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
AT-HOME: Imagine a sign on your front door that says "AT HOME," meaning you're inside. 'At-home' describes things that happen where that sign is hanging.
Conceptual Metaphor
HOME AS A CONTAINER FOR SERVICES/EVENTS (The service/event is located within the bounded space of the home.)
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'at-home' used correctly?