terraced house
/ˈtɛrəst haʊs/
CommonA house in a continuous row sharing walls on both sides with neighbouring properties.
Neutral in the UK. Americans sometimes use it to sound knowledgeable about British housing. Shows up in property content and class-conscious online discourse.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 350k for a terraced house with no garden in zone 4. absolutely cooked. | The price is absurd relative to what you get. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | grew up in a terraced house, now i rent a room from someone who owns three of them | Pointing out the wealth gap and how housing became an investment asset. | x, 2023 |
| 03 | terraced house in manchester for 180k or terraced house in london for 550k. spot the difference. | Highlighting the dramatic regional price gap in UK housing. | reddit, 2024 |
| 04 | saved for 5 years and finally bought a terraced house. not glamorous but it's mine | Pride in finally achieving homeownership despite how modest the property is. | instagram, 2024 |
Use it when
- Describing the most affordable type of house to buy in the UK.
- Talking about UK neighbourhood aesthetics or architecture.
- Referencing property prices and what first-time buyers can realistically afford.
Do not use it when
- You mean a flat or apartment.Use “flat” instead.
- You are describing a detached or semi-detached property.Use “semi-detached” instead.
Variations and related forms
Terraced house vs semi-detached
terraced house
Shares walls on both sides, typically cheaper and more compact.
VS
semi-detached
Shares a wall on one side only, usually slightly larger and pricier.
Origin and context
Terraced housing became widespread in the UK during the Industrial Revolution as a way to house large numbers of workers close to factories. The term has been in common use since the 19th century.
- First seen
- 19th century
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/terraced-houseUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0