villa

The word “villa” means a large, comfortable house in the countryside or by the coast, often used as a holiday home. In plain terms, a house that sounds a bit grander than an ordinary house — either a holiday home abroad or an older-style suburban house.

“Villa” is pronounced VIH-luh (/ˈvɪlə/ in IPA).

Here is “villa” used in a sentence: “They rented a villa in Tuscany for two weeks.”

“Villa” is a noun.

The word “villa” comes from Latin. From Italian villa, going back to Latin vīlla, "country house.".

“Villa” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Villa” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large, comfortable house in the countryside or by the coast, often used as a holiday home.

A villa is a large, comfortable house, typically in the countryside or by the coast and often used as a holiday home. A mansion emphasises grandeur and size regardless of location, whereas villa carries a stronger sense of a relaxed, often rural or seaside setting.

A bungalow is defined by being single-storey, while a villa is defined by being large and comfortable rather than by its number of floors. A villa may have one or several storeys, and in British usage it can also mean a detached or semi-detached house in a Victorian or Edwardian style.

In British English, villa often refers to a detached or semi-detached house on a residential street, especially one built in a Victorian or Edwardian style. This meaning differs from the holiday-home sense and frequently survives in street names and older house names.

No. While villa commonly describes a large, comfortable house by the coast or in the countryside used as a holiday home, it also describes ordinary detached or semi-detached period houses in British usage. Context determines which sense applies.