A house is a single-unit residential building that varies greatly in complexity, from rudimentary huts to sophisticated structures equipped with modern amenities like plumbing, electrical systems, and HVAC, all designed with secure doors to protect inhabitants. Most conventional modern houses in Western cultures feature essential rooms such as bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living room, serving as the home for a "household," typically a family.

Interestingly, the English word "house" derives from the Old English "hus" and profoundly influenced the alphabet; it gave rise to the letter 'B' through an early Proto-Semitic hieroglyphic symbol, "bayt," which meant "house" and evolved into the Greek letter "beta." Architects meticulously design house layouts to meet the needs of residents, sometimes incorporating principles like Feng shui for harmonious living, and humans also construct smaller versions of houses for animals.