Home

Where we're from, where we live, and where we belong — defined by us and by others.

How We Say It

hohm

Where It Comes From

Old English hām — village, estate, dwelling place. Proto-Germanic root. Originally referred to a settled place and community — closer to 'homeland' than 'house.' The intimate, interior sense of home as sanctuary developed later.

How It's Been Used

Home carries enormous emotional and legal weight — property rights, privacy protections, family law all pivot on it. 'Homeland' was a relatively unused word in American English until 2001, when the Department of Homeland Security gave it a new and specific charge.

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