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A1Universal - used in all registers from informal to formal.
Definition
Meaning
The place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household; a place of residence; the central or most important place for something.
Can refer to a feeling of belonging, comfort, or safety; a place where something originates or is based; in sports, the place where a team is based or the goal they are attacking; in computing, the main directory or starting point.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
"Home" is more abstract and emotional than "house". It implies belonging, comfort, and personal connection. Can be used without an article (e.g., "go home").
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor. Brits more likely to use "at home" where Americans might say "home" (e.g., "Is he at home?" vs. "Is he home?"). "Home" as an adverb ("Go home") is universal.
Connotations
Largely identical. Strong connotations of family, safety, and personal identity in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in both. Slight preference in AmE for "home" in phrases like "back home" or "home free".
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be home (adj)go/come/arrive/get home (adv)make oneself at home (verb + refl + prep)feel at home (verb + prep)bring sth home to sb (phrasal verb)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Home is where the heart is.”
- “There's no place like home.”
- “Bring home the bacon.”
- “Hit a home run.”
- “Make yourself at home.”
- “Home away from home.”
- “Close to home.”
- “Home free.”
- “Home sweet home.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Home office, work from home, home market, home page.
Academic
Home country (in sociology), home range (in biology), homeland.
Everyday
Going home, being at home, feeling at home, home cooking.
Technical
Home directory (computing), home row (typing), home position (engineering), home plate (baseball).
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- She made her home in the countryside after retiring.
- The charity provides homes for the elderly.
American English
- He bought a home in the suburbs for his family.
- Alaska is the home of the grizzly bear.
adverb
British English
- What time did you get home last night?
- She's not at home; she's away on business.
American English
- I need to head home before it gets dark.
- Is your brother home from college yet?
adjective
British English
- We watched the home team win the cup.
- She enjoys simple home comforts like a proper tea.
American English
- What's your home address for the form?
- The company has a strong home market for its products.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My home is in London.
- I go home at 5 o'clock.
- She is at home today.
- They made their home in a small village by the sea.
- After travelling for a month, it felt good to be home.
- The team has a strong record on their home ground.
- The film's message about family really brought it home to me.
- He's living away from home for the first time at university.
- She runs a successful business from her home office.
- The concept of 'home' is deeply rooted in cultural identity and personal memory.
- The new policy struck home with voters concerned about local issues.
- He's a musician who is equally at home performing jazz or classical pieces.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine the letters H-O-M-E standing for "Heart Of My Existence".
Conceptual Metaphor
HOME IS A CONTAINER (for safety/family), HOME IS A BASE (for operations), HOME IS A REFUGE (from the world).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using "house" (дом) when the meaning is emotional/relational. "House" is the physical building; "home" is the personal space. In phrases like "go home", Russian uses "домой" (adverb), which aligns with English adverbial use.
Common Mistakes
- Using "to" before "home" when it's an adverb ("I'm going to home" is wrong; "I'm going home" is correct). Confusing "house" and "home" ("I bought a new home" implies emotional investment; "I bought a new house" is purely transactional).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'home' correctly as an adverb?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'house' is a physical building. A 'home' is where you live and feel you belong; it has emotional and personal significance. You can live in a house that doesn't feel like a home.
Because in this phrase, 'home' is an adverb of place (like 'here', 'there', 'abroad'), not a noun. We say 'go home', 'come home', 'arrive home'. We only use 'to' if we add an article or possessive (e.g., 'go to my home', 'go to the home of a friend').
Yes, though less common. It means 'to return to one's home' (e.g., pigeons homing) or 'to focus on or be directed toward a target' (e.g., "The missile homed in on the heat signal").
Both can be correct. In British English, "Is Peter at home?" is standard. In American English, "Is Peter home?" is equally common. 'At home' can feel slightly more formal or precise in AmE.