bungalow
Americannoun
-
a cottage of one story.
-
(in India) a one-storied thatched or tiled house, usually surrounded by a veranda.
-
(in the U.S.) a derivation of the Indian house type, popular especially during the first quarter of the 20th century, usually having one and a half stories, a widely bracketed gable roof, and a multi-windowed dormer and frequently built of rustic materials.
noun
-
a one-storey house, sometimes with an attic
-
(in India) a one-storey house, usually surrounded by a veranda
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of bungalow
First recorded in 1670–80, bungalow is from the Hindi word banglā literally, of Bengal
Explanation
A bungalow is a little house. If you’re not ready for the three-story house in the suburbs just yet, you might try living in a bungalow. The word bungalow was originally used to describe the temporary houses set up by English sailors traveling to India to work for the East India Company. These little houses were often just one story high with a thatched roof. Nowadays, the word bungalow can be used to describe any one story house. Think of the little cabin you slept in at summer camp — that’s a kind of bungalow.
Vocabulary lists containing bungalow
There's No Word Like Home
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" by Rudyard Kipling
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began" by Art Spiegelman
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Singapore police seized a luxury bungalow this month worth more than $40 million as part of fraud investigations linked to the alleged transfer of AI chips.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
After Ruffin and his wife, Jonni Miller, lost their 1942 bungalow, his first instinct was to rebuild it exactly as it was.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
Shelley and husband Barry, 63, spent £50,000 in total getting the botched job at their bungalow in Buckley, Flintshire, fixed - almost £30,000 more than the initial quote of £21,000.
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026
In the heart of Lead, this 1925 bungalow overlooks the Homestake Gold Mine Open Cut.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
I know that we have British furniture in our bungalow, like the upholstered wooden chairs in the sitting room and our large oval dining table and English china.
From "The Night Diary" by Veera Hiranandani
These newly wealthy-on-paper buyers are checking out bungalows and high-rise apartments with asking prices around $1.2 million to $1.5 million.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 13, 2026
It took a lot to bestir Angelenos from their bungalows and Buicks, but their throats felt like sandpaper, and their chests hurt like the blazes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026
But unlike Miami where it "arrived as a projection of leisure or spectacle", in Mumbai the "style resonated across various building typologies, including schools, cinemas, bungalows, petrol stations and banks," Mr Kumar said.
From BBC ● Nov. 22, 2025
Residents are afraid they’ll lose the small-town feel created by the Craftsman bungalows and Spanish Revival homes that once dotted the streets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2025
We’d park the car and walk along streets of modest bungalows, landing on a doorstep to find a hunched-over widow or a big-bellied factory worker with a can of Michelob peering through the screen door.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
