lodger

Everyday

1. A person who pays to live in a room in someone else's house, often sharing the kitchen and bathroom with the family. tree →
2. (rare) Anyone staying for a time in a place. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life, and in stories (especially British ones), a family might «take in a lodger» to earn extra money. It tells the reader the person is not family but lives in the house. Phrases: take in a lodger, have a lodger, a lodger's room.

Examples

• We have a lodger who lives in the spare room. tree →
• The lodger pays rent every week. tree →
• Mrs Brown took in a lodger after her children left home. tree →
• Our lodger is a student from Canada. tree →
• The lodger shares our kitchen. tree →
• In the story, the strange lodger never came out of his room. tree →
• My aunt was a lodger when she first moved to London. tree →
• As soon as her work was over the old woman came and sat down with her lodgers. tree →

Note

Countable: lodgers. Related: lodge (to stay or to let someone stay), lodging(s) (a room to rent). In American English «roomer» or «boarder» is also used; a boarder usually gets meals too. Different from a tenant, who rents a whole flat or house.