Definition of dwelling house

The word "dwelling house" originated during the Middle English period, which lasted from around 1100 to 1475. At this time, the English language was still heavily influenced by Old English and Old Norse, both of which had their own words for houses. In Old English, the word for house was "hus," which is related to the modern English words "husband" and "husky." However, as English began to evolve, a new word was needed to distinguish between different types of houses. In Middle English, the word "dwelle" meant "to live," while "hu" referred to a house. Putting these two words together, the term "dwelling house" (or "dwelyngg hwus" in Middle English) came to describe a house where people lived, as opposed to other types of structures or buildings. Over time, the hyphen between "dwelling" and "house" was dropped, as it became clear that the two words belonged together. The phrase "dwelling house" continued to be used in legal and official documents well into the 19th century, as a way to describe the physical structure where people lived and carried out their daily lives. Today, the term "dwelling" is still used in a variety of contexts, from real estate marketing to architectural design, as a way to convey a sense of comfort, warmth, and home.