customhouse

noun

cus·​tom·​house ˈkə-stəm-ˌhau̇s 

variants or less commonly customshouse

ˈkə-stəmz-ˌhau̇s 

: a building where customs and duties are paid or collected and where vessels are entered and cleared

Examples of customhouse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Trans-Atlantic traders also pointed out that customhouses in Prussia and Britain, staffed by professional civil servants, were four to five times more cost efficient than their American counterparts. —Yong Kwon / Made By History, TIME, 7 Mar. 2025

In 1849, three hundred and twenty-five Chinese passed through San Francisco’s customhouse. —Michael Luo, The New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2021

In true Latrobian style, the new customhouse was made of red brick and was adorned with white columns and green shutters. —Mike Scott, NOLA.com, 17 Nov. 2020

In 1809, work was completed on his plans for a U.S. customhouse in the city. —Mike Scott, NOLA.com, 17 Nov. 2020

Liu and the other individual defendants face up to 465 years in prison if convicted on all 24 counts of conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and passing false and fraudulent papers through a customhouse. —David J. Lynch, Washington Post, 31 July 2019

Photographs seem to show one beside the customhouse near Tijuana and another along the border between Douglas, Arizona, and Agua Prieta, Mexico. —Rachel St. John, Smithsonian, 26 June 2018

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for customhouse

• boardinghouse
• charterhouse
• clearinghouse
• coffeehouse
• firehouse
• meetinghouse
• motherhouse
• packinghouse
• pilothouse
• powerhouse
• slaughterhouse
• summerhouse

Kids Definition

customhouse

noun

cus·​tom·​house ˈkəs-təm-ˌhau̇s 

variants also customshouse

-təmz- 

: a building where customs are paid or collected and where ships are entered and cleared at a port