logis

Logis is a term of French origin that in English-language writing denotes a dwelling or residence. In architecture and architectural history, logis often refers specifically to the main house of a large estate, château, or hôtel particulier, or to the principal block of such a building. The central block is commonly called the corps de logis, and it is usually flanked by wings or service blocks that form an enclosed cour d'honneur or courtyard.

In French usage, logis functions as a general word for a dwelling or residence. It can denote a home at various scales, from a single-family house to a country manor, and is encountered in legal or literary contexts. The term is more formal or literary than everyday "maison" or "logement." In historical descriptions, the phrase corps de logis identifies the primary living spaces and their formal arrangement within the overall plan of a castle or manor.

In English, logis appears mainly in translations or specialist texts on French architecture or historic buildings. It is not common in everyday speech but is encountered in museum descriptions, guidebooks, and scholarly writings.

Beyond architecture, logis can appear as a surname and in place names in French-speaking regions, where it retains the basic sense of dwelling or homesteading. The word forms part of the broader vocabulary around housing and residence in French.