houseboat

noun

house·​boat ˈhau̇s-ˌbōt 

: a boat fitted for use as a dwelling

especially : a pleasure craft with a broad beam, a usually shallow draft, and a large superstructure resembling a house

houseboater

ˈhau̇s-ˌbō-tər 

noun

Examples of houseboat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Now, my devotion continues with her newest, Swept Away — a love story about two strangers who get stranded at sea together on a houseboat. —Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 24 May 2025

The outlet reported that Fröhlich lived on a houseboat on the Holzhafenufer in the Moorfleet district of Hamburg. —Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2025

What’s Involved: Following a night on a houseboat on Lake Powell, your group will begin the journey with a 2.5-mile hike along a sandy path through the narrow Antelope Canyon. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 26 Apr. 2025

Related Articles Letters: Could houseboats be a homelessness solution? —Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1772, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for houseboat

• anecdote
• antidote
• asymptote
• creosote
• dimethoate
• epidote
• ferryboat
• motorboat
• overcoat
• petticoat
• riverboat
• undercoat

Kids Definition

houseboat

noun

house·​boat ˈhau̇s-ˌbōt 

: a roomy usually shallow and flat-bottomed pleasure boat equipped for use as a dwelling or for cruising