villa

Everyday

1. A villa is a large, comfortable house, often with a garden, in the country or by the sea, especially in a warm place. tree →
2. In history, a Roman villa was a big country house and farm owned by a rich Roman family. tree →
3. In the UK, Australia and New Zealand, a villa can be a house of a certain old style in a town. tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons about the Romans in Britain, pupils study Roman villas with mosaic floors, central heating (hypocausts) and baths. In everyday life, families may rent a villa on holiday. Phrases: «Roman villa», «holiday villa», «a villa with a pool».

Examples

• We stayed in a villa with a swimming pool. tree →
• The Roman villa had a beautiful mosaic floor. tree →
• Rich Romans lived in villas in the countryside. tree →
• The villa looked out over the sea. tree →
• Archaeologists found the remains of a villa under the field. tree →
• Our holiday villa had a lemon tree in the garden. tree →

Note

Countable noun, plural villas. Double l. Do not confuse with «village» (a small group of houses) or «villain» (the bad character in a story).