Key Difference: A house is defined as a building or structure, whose main purpose is to be occupied for habitation by humans. On the other hand, a home is the place of residence or refuge. A person’s most personal belongings are kept in a home and it is where a person feels safe and accepted.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “home is where the heart is”?  Well that’s exactly the definition of a home. A house is simply a structure. Let’s try and understand these terms more clearly.

In the proper definition a house is defined as a building or structure, whose main purpose is to be occupied for habitation by humans. The house can be a stand-alone structure, a row house or a part of a community and can have a single floor or multiple floors. The term ‘house’ is derived from the Old English word, ‘Hus’ meaning, “Dwelling, shelter, home, house.” A house has multiple bedrooms and bathrooms and can also have a basement, an attic or a garage depending on the architecture of the house. Houses are bigger compared to apartments, motor homes and trailers, while smaller compared to villas and castles. A house may or may not be a home.

On the other hand, a home is the place of residence or refuge. It can be a house, trailer, motor home, apartment or any place that a person is comfortable in residing. A person’s most personal belongings are kept in a home and it is where a person feels safe and accepted. A home has a more psychological impact, compared to physical. Experts believe that a home has a lot of influence on a person’s behavior, emotions, and overall mental health. If a person is away from home for an extended period of time, he may start feeling homesick, which can cause a person to feel actual symptoms of illness.

In a nutshell, a house is basically a structure that has been designed to allow it to be inhabited by humans. A person who lives in the house, where he feels safe, comforted and has private possessions is what a home is. A home can be a house, but not every house is a home.

Image Courtesy: ecogreenbean.files.wordpress.com, grandalarms.com