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stately home

stately home

2 5.7
A large, impressive house in the country owned by a rich family
  • noun
  • /ˈsteɪtli hoʊm/
  • UK
translation icon : casa señorial
  • They came across the Bay Bridge at full speed and drove west on Broadway past Carol Doda's place and all the topless bars, and as soon as they went through the Broadway Tunnel and crossed Van Ness, they began to pass the stately homes on Broadway.
  • stately homes of England
  • grand stately home
  • stately home and gardens

So I was in the prison and it's like a stately home, E Sutton Park.

Examples

  • Many tourists visit the grand stately home to explore its beautiful gardens and rich history.

  • The stately homes of England.

  • Your dog will be in his or her element, running around the huge grounds of a stately home or large traditional Scottish cottage.

    Blog text (23)
  • Mississippi's stately homes tell a bit of the rich history of the state.

    Blog text (29)
  • And then when Diana's grandfather died, they moved to the family stately home, Althorp.

  • On Friday, we had spent the day at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, his stately home engraved on the back of every US nickel.

    Blog text (18)
  • ANNAPOLIS - NIGHT: DEAN's BMW drives through a neighborhood of stately homes, all magnificently decorated for Christmas.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • The stately home has been in the family for generations, showcasing centuries of architecture and art.

  • Last summer, we attended a wedding in an elegant stately home surrounded by lush countryside.

Synonyms

mansion
vsstately home
327 3.4

A very large, impressive house often with many rooms and gardens

is tied to aristocratic history and rural setting rather than pure luxury
manor
vsstately home
67 5.8

A large country house often the home of a rich family

is the noble family country seat rather than a general large property
residence
vsstately home
  • Formal
54 3.5

A large official house where an important person, like a president, lives

is a private aristocratic country dwelling not an official city building
country house
vsstately home
15 3.4

A large house in the countryside with its own land

is the aristocratic rural dwelling often linked to noble families
manor house
vsstately home
4 6.0

A large old country house once owned by a rich landowner

is the aristocratic country dwelling rather than just any large dwelling
palais
vsstately home
1 9.1

A large grand house used as a private home

is specifically an aristocratic countryside dwelling rather than an urban historic monument
mansion house
vsstately home
1 4.0

A very large, impressive house where a rich family lives

is the aristocratic rural dwelling not merely a grand urban building

Antonyms

131 1.8

A small rough shelter made from wood and metal scraps

14 7.1

A small simple house that is dirty and not good to live in

How Impressive

palace
241 1.0
mansion
327 3.4
stately home
  • UK
2 5.7
country house
15 3.4
house
1.0
cottage
171 1.0

Surface Forms

stately home singular
stately homes plural

Morphology

stately + home

The meaning 'a large, impressive house' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'stately' (grand, dignified) with 'home' (house), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the expression. There is a mild cultural nuance (often referring to a large country house associated with aristocracy), but that extra detail does not prevent basic comprehension of the phrase.

Etymology

Stately home may come from the idea of a house meant to show a family's importance: a stately, or grand, home where the owner greeted guests and held important events. That's why stately home means 'a large and impressive country house'.