storey house: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to Formal
Quick answer
What does “storey house” mean?
A house with a specified number of levels or floors, typically counted from the ground floor up.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A house with a specified number of levels or floors, typically counted from the ground floor up.
Used to describe the vertical size or scale of a residential building, often implying a certain architectural style, capacity, or urban context (e.g., terraced houses, suburban homes).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'storey' is the standard spelling for a level of a building. In American English, the equivalent term is 'story'. The compound 'storey house' is primarily a British English construction; Americans would typically say 'story house' or, more commonly, specify the number of floors (e.g., 'a two-story house').
Connotations
In the UK, 'storey house' is a neutral architectural descriptor. In the US, 'story house' might sound slightly formal or technical; 'floor' is more common in casual speech (e.g., 'a two-floor house').
Frequency
High frequency in UK property descriptions, architecture, and planning. Lower frequency in US English, where the periphrastic form ('house with X stories') is often preferred.
Grammar
How to Use “storey house” in a Sentence
[number]-storey househouse of [number] storeyshouse with [number] storeysVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “storey house” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Not applicable as a verb]
American English
- [Not applicable as a verb]
adverb
British English
- [Not applicable as an adverb]
American English
- [Not applicable as an adverb]
adjective
British English
- The three-storey house was built in the 1890s.
- We viewed a lovely double-storey extension.
American English
- The three-story house was built in the 1890s.
- They added a two-story addition to the back.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in real estate listings, property development plans, and architectural contracts to specify building scale.
Academic
Found in urban planning, architectural history, and sociology texts discussing housing typologies.
Everyday
Common in conversations about house hunting, describing neighbourhoods, or giving directions.
Technical
Used in building regulations, planning permission documents, and structural engineering reports.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “storey house”
- Using 'storey' as an adjective without a hyphen in compound modifiers (e.g., 'a three storey house' should be 'a three-storey house').
- Confusing 'storey' (level of a building) with 'story' (a tale) in all contexts in British English.
- Incorrectly counting storeys (e.g., in the UK, a 'two-storey house' has a ground floor and a first floor).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, etymologically they share a origin. Medieval buildings often had painted windows or sculptures on successive levels telling a story (e.g., a biblical narrative), which may have led to levels being called 'stories'.
When used as a compound modifier before a noun, you should use a hyphen: 'a three-storey house'. Without the hyphen, it can be unclear.
Typically, no. A 'storey' generally refers to a habitable level with a full ceiling height. An unfinished attic or a basement is not usually counted as a storey unless it is converted to a proper living space.
The word 'storey' becomes 'storeys' in British English (e.g., 'a house of five storeys'). In the compound adjective form, it remains singular (e.g., 'a five-storey house').
A house with a specified number of levels or floors, typically counted from the ground floor up.
Storey house is usually neutral to formal in register.
Storey house: in British English it is pronounced /ˈstɔːri ˌhaʊs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈstɔri ˌhaʊs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[not applicable for this compound term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'story' in a book. Each 'storey' in a house is like a new chapter or level of the building's 'story'.
Conceptual Metaphor
BUILDINGS ARE STACKED CONTAINERS; VERTICALITY IS STATUS/SCALE.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the standard American English equivalent for 'a three-storey house'?