penthouse

noun

pent·​house ˈpent-ˌhau̇s 

1

a

: a shed or roof attached to and sloping from a wall or building

b

: a smaller structure joined to a building : annex

2

: a structure or dwelling on the roof or top floor of a building

Synonyms

• addition

Examples of penthouse in a Sentence

had a small penthouse built to serve as a toolshed

Recent Examples on the Web

For small-government evangelists sitting in the conference room up on the HHS penthouse level, there was a whole lot of talk about reaching into private companies and family fridges to shape options for consumers. —Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Sep. 2025

Then Mabel runs into her old pal Althea (Beanie Feldstein) from the Tim Kono days, who is now a pop star who goes by Thé and, worst of all, has just moved into the penthouse. —Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025

The owner of 520 Park’s top-floor penthouse didn’t even wait for the renderings — a suit on his behalf was filed just a few weeks after the March news that Extell had picked up the lots next door. —Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 9 Sep. 2025

Set entirely in a high-rise penthouse, PH-1 follows promising politician Payton Burnham (Kassen), who is held hostage by an anonymous captor and forced to watch as his life is systematically dismantled in real-time by both social and traditional media. —Zac Ntim, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

alteration of Middle English pentis, from Anglo-French apentiz, from apent, past participle of apendre, appendre to attach, hang against — more at append

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for penthouse

• alehouse
• almshouse
• backhouse
• baghouse
• bakehouse
• bathhouse
• bauhaus
• blockhouse
• boathouse
• brewhouse
• bunkhouse
• clubhouse

Kids Definition

penthouse

noun

pent·​house ˈpent-ˌhau̇s 

1

: a sloping roof or a shed attached to a wall or building

2

: a structure (as an apartment) built on the roof of a building