house group: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal to Neutral; common in religious, community, and certain organisational contexts.
Quick answer
What does “house group” mean?
A small, informal gathering of people, often from a local church or community, meeting in a private home for religious study, prayer, or fellowship.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small, informal gathering of people, often from a local church or community, meeting in a private home for religious study, prayer, or fellowship.
Any small, organised group that meets regularly in a domestic setting for a shared purpose, such as a book club, support group, or political discussion circle. In a business context, it can refer to an internal team or department focused on a specific function (e.g., 'the design house group').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More commonly used in the UK, often with explicit Christian connotations. In the US, 'small group' or 'home group' are more frequent equivalents in religious contexts.
Connotations
UK: Strongly associated with evangelical or charismatic church activities. US: Can sound slightly British or archaic; 'home group' feels more natural.
Frequency
Low frequency in general corpora; higher in religious and specific community discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “house group” in a Sentence
[Verb] + house group: join, lead, attend, form, establish[Adjective] + house group: small, local, weekly, informal, thrivingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “house group” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Our parish encourages everyone to house-group for deeper fellowship.
- They've been house-grouping together for years.
American English
- The church plant aims to house-group new believers. (Less common)
adjective
British English
- The house-group dynamic is more personal than Sunday service.
- She has a house-group leadership role.
American English
- He attended a house-group Bible study. (More likely 'home-group')
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. May refer to an in-house team or a subsidiary ('the luxury goods house group').
Academic
Used in sociology/religious studies to describe informal community structures.
Everyday
Primarily in religious or close-knit community settings.
Technical
Not typically a technical term.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “house group”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “house group”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “house group”
- Using it to refer to a group of houses (correct: 'group of houses' or 'housing cluster').
- Capitalising it unnecessarily unless it's a formal title.
- Overusing in non-religious US contexts where 'small group' is preferred.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Essentially yes, but 'home group' is the preferred term in American English, especially in religious contexts. 'House group' is more common in British English.
Yes, but it's less common. It can describe any small, regular meeting in a home (e.g., a political activism house group, a philosophy reading house group). The religious connotation is often still present.
They are very similar. 'Cell group' often implies a more explicit focus on growth and multiplication (splitting to form new groups) as part of a larger church structure, whereas 'house group' can be more stable and focused on fellowship.
Usually between 5 and 15 people, small enough to fit comfortably in a living room and allow for discussion and personal interaction.
A small, informal gathering of people, often from a local church or community, meeting in a private home for religious study, prayer, or fellowship.
House group is usually formal to neutral; common in religious, community, and certain organisational contexts. in register.
House group: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhaʊs ˌɡruːp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhaʊs ˌɡruːp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a HOUSE where a GROUP meets. It's a group that fits in a house.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMUNITY IS A HOUSE (a place of shelter, intimacy, and shared life).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'house group' MOST appropriately used?