shotgun house

noun

: a house in which all the rooms are in direct line with each other usually front to back

called also shotgun cottage, shotgun shack

compare railroad flat

Examples of shotgun house in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Over the years, the shotgun houses, which were relatively cheap and easy to build, spread across the South. Maggie Burch, Southern Living, 19 June 2024 Shotgun House Exteriors As far as the exterior of shotgun houses goes, there is some variation. Maggie Burch, Southern Living, 19 June 2024 Florence recalled growing up in a shotgun house her father built on that land, and learning to make lye soap from hog fat and dandelion wine from their garden. Essence, 18 June 2024 Grayton Beach Grayton Beach’s shotgun houses and independent businesses embody what has disappeared across most of Florida. Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for shotgun house 

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shotgun house was in 1903

Dictionary Entries Near shotgun house

Cite this Entry

“Shotgun house.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shotgun%20house. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!