home
home
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "home" is /hoʊm/.
/hoʊm/
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: home
Plural: homes
Verb:
Base form: home
Third-person singular present: homes
Present participle: homing
Past tense: homed
Past participle: homed
Adjective: home (does not typically have variations like comparative/superlative as a direct adjective, but can be part of compound adjectives like "home-made")
Adverb: home (does not typically have variations)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: The place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household; a dwelling place.
Synonyms: residence, house, abode, dwelling, domicile, living quarters
Antonyms: abroad, away, foreign land, distant place
Definition 2: The native country, city, or area of a person, animal, or plant.
Synonyms: homeland, birthplace, native land, roots, origins
Antonyms: exile, foreign country, adopted land
Definition 3: An institution for people requiring professional care or supervision, such as a nursing home or children's home.
Synonyms: institution, facility, establishment, care facility
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms, as it refers to a specific type of establishment. One might consider "private residence" as a contrasting concept in some contexts.)
Definition 4: The ultimate goal or destination, often in a figurative sense, representing a sense of belonging or arrival.
Synonyms: haven, refuge, sanctuary, safe harbor, resting place
Antonyms: journey, voyage, transit, wilderness
Verb
Definition 1: To go or return to one's home or a place that serves as a base.
Synonyms: return, go back, retreat, retire, head back
Antonyms: depart, leave, set out, embark
Definition 2: (Of an animal, especially a pigeon) To return to its home, often with an innate sense of direction.
Synonyms: navigate, orient, direct, steer
Antonyms: stray, wander, get lost
Definition 3: (Of a missile or other projectile) To be guided towards a target or destination.
Synonyms: target, aim, zero in on, pinpoint
Antonyms: miss, deviate, stray, go off course
Adjective
Definition 1: Relating to a person's house or where they live.
Synonyms: domestic, household, residential, family
Antonyms: external, public, foreign, commercial
Definition 2: Produced, made, or done at home.
Synonyms: homemade, self-made, domestic
Antonyms: commercial, store-bought, manufactured, imported
Adverb
Definition 1: At or to one's home or a place of residence.
Synonyms: homeward, indoors, residentially
Antonyms: away, abroad, out, outside
Definition 2: To the fullest extent; deeply or thoroughly (often used in phrases like "drive home a point").
Synonyms: thoroughly, completely, deeply, effectively, decisively
Antonyms: superficially, partially, weakly, ineffectively
Examples of Use
Books
"There's no place like home," Dorothy declared, clicking her heels together. (L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
"He built a modest home for his family on the outskirts of the village, a place where generations would eventually gather." (From a historical fiction novel about pioneer life)
Newspapers
"Local authorities are urging residents to stay home amidst severe weather warnings." (Nairobi News, July 2025)
"The national football team will play their next two qualifying matches at home." (The Standard, June 2025)
Online Publications
"Working from home has become the new normal for many companies post-pandemic." (Forbes.com, April 2025)
"The article delves into the emotional impact of leaving your childhood home for college." (PsychologyToday.com, May 2025)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms
Film: "E.T. phone home." (Line from the movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, 1982)
Song: "Take me home, country roads, to the place I belong." (John Denver, "Take Me Home, Country Roads," 1971)
Television Series: "The detective finally pieced together the clues, realizing the killer's home was much closer than they initially thought." (From a crime procedural drama)
Video Game: "The objective of the mission is to guide your character safely back to their home base." (From a popular strategy game)
Podcast: "In this week's episode, we explore the challenges of creating a sense of home in a transient world." (A popular travel podcast, July 2025)
General Public Discourse
"Are you coming home for dinner tonight?" (Casual conversation)
"I really feel at home when I'm surrounded by nature." (Personal reflection)
"We need to create more affordable housing so everyone can have a decent home." (Community discussion on social issues)
"The new policy will help bring our soldiers home sooner." (Political speech)
"Let's drive the point home: recycling is crucial for our planet." (Advocacy message)
10 Quotes Using Home
"There's no place like home." (L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
"Home is where the heart is." (Pliny the Elder)
"East, west, home's best." (English Proverb)
"A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it." (George Moore)
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step home." (A twist on Lao Tzu's famous quote, adapted for thematic consistency)
"You can never go home again." (Thomas Wolfe, You Can't Go Home Again)
"Home is the starting place of love, hope and dreams." (Unknown)
"Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home." (John Howard Payne, "Home, Sweet Home")
"Peace, like charity, begins at home." (Franklin D. Roosevelt)
"Home is not a place; it's a feeling." (Cecelia Ahern, Love, Rosie)
Etymology
The word "home" has a really old and interesting history! It comes from the Old English word "hām" which was used before the year 1150.
Initially, "hām" didn't just mean a single house like it often does today. Its first known meaning referred to something broader:
A village or an estate: It was about a collection of dwellings, a settlement where people lived together. It implied a community, a gathering of "souls" rather than just a building.
A dwelling place or fixed residence: While it wasn't exclusively about a single building, it certainly included the idea of a place where one lived permanently.
A region or country: In some contexts, it could even refer to one's native land.
So, when the word "home" first started being used in English, it already carried this sense of a settled place, often involving a community and a feeling of belonging, more than just the physical structure of a house. Over time, while it still holds those broader meanings, it became more commonly associated with the specific house or dwelling where a person or family lives.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Home
At home: Comfortable and relaxed; in one's own dwelling.
Bring home the bacon: To earn a living; to provide financial support for one's family.
Come home to roost: (Of an action or decision) To have negative consequences for the person who performed or made it.
Drive home a point/message: To make something very clear and understood.
Feel at home: To feel comfortable and welcome in a place.
Go home: To return to one's residence.
Home away from home: A place where one feels as comfortable as in one's own home.
Home is where the heart is: One's true home is where one's affections lie.
Home stretch: The final part of an activity or journey.
Leave home: To depart from one's residence, often permanently.
Make oneself at home: To make oneself comfortable, as if in one's own house.
Nothing to write home about: Unremarkable or unexciting.
On the home front: In one's own country or family life, especially during a war or crisis.
Run home: To quickly go back to one's residence.
Strike home: To have a powerful and direct effect.
Take home pay: The amount of money one receives after taxes and deductions.
The lights are on but nobody's home: Used to describe someone who appears to be present but is not mentally aware or intelligent.
Until the cows come home: For a very long time; indefinitely.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of home from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
