meeting house: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Historical, Religious, Community-specific
Quick answer
What does “meeting house” mean?
A building for public assembly, especially for nonconformist religious worship (e.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A building for public assembly, especially for nonconformist religious worship (e.g., Quakers, Puritans).
A building used for gatherings and meetings, often with a specific historical or community focus, such as a town hall or a community center. It can also refer to a building for Native American tribal gatherings.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, the term is strongly linked to Nonconformist Christian denominations (Quakers, Methodists, Baptists) and their historical buildings. In the US, it is also strongly associated with Quaker and Puritan history, but additionally refers to buildings for Native American tribal meetings and some early New England town halls.
Connotations
UK: Primarily religious/historical. US: Religious/historical, but also civic and indigenous cultural.
Frequency
Low frequency in general modern discourse in both regions. Higher frequency in historical, religious, or specific community contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “meeting house” in a Sentence
The [religious group] meeting houseA meeting house for [community/purpose]The meeting house in/of [place name]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “meeting house” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The community will meet in the meeting house.
American English
- The tribe meets in the traditional meeting house.
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverbial use]
American English
- [No standard adverbial use]
adjective
British English
- The meeting-house architecture is notably plain.
American English
- They admired the meeting-house style of the old building.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Would only appear in contexts like historical property development or tourism.
Academic
Used in history, religious studies, and anthropology papers discussing Puritan, Quaker, or early American community life.
Everyday
Very rare. Might be used when referring to a specific local historical building.
Technical
Used in architectural history (e.g., 'meeting house style') and heritage conservation.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “meeting house”
- Using it to mean a modern conference room. Confusing it with 'meeting room'. Capitalising it incorrectly when not part of a proper name (e.g., 'the Meeting House' vs. 'a meeting house').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. While both are places of worship, 'meeting house' specifically denotes a plain, unadorned building used by Nonconformist groups like Quakers and Puritans, emphasizing the communal gathering rather than the architecture or clergy.
No, that would be incorrect and confusing. A modern room for meetings is a 'conference room', 'meeting room', or 'boardroom'. 'Meeting house' has historical and specific religious/civic connotations.
It is capitalised when it forms part of the proper name of a specific building, e.g., 'the Brighton Friends Meeting House'. In general descriptive use, it is not capitalised, e.g., 'a Quaker meeting house'.
Both forms are accepted, but 'meeting house' (open form) is more common in modern British English, while 'meetinghouse' (closed form) is frequently seen in American English, especially in historical contexts.
A building for public assembly, especially for nonconformist religious worship (e.
Meeting house is usually formal, historical, religious, community-specific in register.
Meeting house: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmiːtɪŋ ˌhaʊs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmiːt̬ɪŋ ˌhaʊs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None directly associated]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the Quakers, who 'meet' for worship in a simple 'house' rather than a ornate church.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMUNITY IS A HOUSE (A building that contains and represents the social/religious body).
Practice
Quiz
Which group is most strongly associated with the term 'meeting house'?