hovel
hovel Lexical Profile
hovel Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A small, poorly constructed, and often dirty or squalid dwelling.
"The impoverished family was forced to live in a cramped hovel on the outskirts of the city."
British An open shed or outbuilding used for sheltering cattle or storing agricultural tools.
"The farmer stored his rusted plows and winter feed in a wooden hovel near the pasture."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'hut' or 'cabin' can denote a simple, rustic, or even cozy dwelling, 'hovel' carries a strongly negative connotation, explicitly emphasizing squalor, extreme poverty, or dilapidated conditions.
• Rhymes for hovel
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'hovel' or 'howel', of uncertain origin. It is likely a diminutive form related to Old English 'hof', meaning 'enclosure, house, or dwelling'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.