Haus

Haus is the German noun for a building intended for human habitation, commonly translated as "house" or "home" in English. It refers to the physical structure, though in everyday speech "das Haus" can also imply a dwelling in general. The word is distinct from "Zuhause," which emphasizes the place that one calls home, and from "Wohnung," which refers to an apartment or flat.

The term derives from Old High German hus and is related to the English "house," Dutch "huis," and Swedish "hus." It ultimately comes from Proto-Germanic *hūsą and belongs to the family of Germanic words for shelter and dwelling.

In German, "Haus" appears in numerous compound nouns that describe types of buildings or household concepts, such as Wohnhaus (residential building), Einfamilienhaus (single-family house), Mehrfamilienhaus (multi-family house), Hausaufgaben (homework), Hausmittel (household remedy), and Hausordnung (house rules).

As a surname, "Haus" occurs in German-speaking areas; it can appear alone or as part of longer names. The term is also encountered in cultural and historical contexts as a root element in compounds and place names.