Definition

Noun: A person who shares a house or apartment with one or more other people, but who is not typically a member of the same family. A housemate is a co-resident.

Usage

A housemate is someone you live with in a shared dwelling. This term emphasizes the shared physical living space rather than a close personal relationship, distinguishing it from terms like "spouse" or "family member." It is commonly used in contexts like university housing, shared apartments, or group houses.

Examples

• I get along well with my housemate; we share the cooking and cleaning duties.
• She found a housemate through an online advertisement to help split the rent.
• One of my housemates is moving out next month, so we need to find a replacement.

Advanced Usage

• The term can imply a more casual or temporary living arrangement compared to "roommate," which sometimes specifies sharing a bedroom. However, in general usage, "housemate" and "roommate" are often used interchangeably when referring to sharing a house or apartment.
• "To housemate with someone" is a less common but understood verb form, meaning to live together as housemates.
  • Example: I housemated with her for two years during college.

Variants and Related Words

• Roommate (noun): A more common synonym, though it can specifically mean someone who shares a bedroom.
• Flatmate (noun): The British English equivalent of "housemate" or "roommate," used for sharing a flat (apartment).
• Housemaster/Housemistress (noun): A teacher in charge of a boarding house at a school (a different, more specific compound word).

Synonyms

• Co-resident
• Housesharer
• Roommate

Related Phrases

• To share a house with someone: A phrase describing the living situation.
  • Example: I share a house with three other people.
• Live-in partner: Refers to a romantic partner one lives with, which is a different relationship than a housemate.

Noun

1. someone who resides in the same house with you