Words / B1

HOWSM-ayt/ˈhaʊsmeɪt/

A housemate is a person you share a house or flat with, but who is not family. A flatmate is the usual word for a shared flat; a lodger pays rent to a live-in landlord. Tenancy: a housemate is not automatically on the contract.

Meaning

A person you share a house or flat with, but who is not family.

Examples

• “A housemate is not automatically on the tenancy; check the contract.”
• “A housemate’s guests still need the landlord’s guest rule, not an extra bed as of right.”

Good to know

a housemate. Close: a flatmate. Contrast: a lodger / a tenant named on the contract. Student housing. Countable people. Mix-up: a houseman is an old word for a junior doctor.

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