a boat that is designed and equipped for living in, with bedrooms, kitchen, and bathroom, rather than just for traveling.
Compound of 'house' (Old English 'hus') and 'boat' (Old English 'bat'). The compound term became popular in the early 1900s as recreational boating increased and people wanted permanent floating homes.
Houseboats are legal loopholes in some cities—Venice, Bangkok, and Seattle have thriving houseboat communities partly because they can bypass certain real estate regulations, making them cheaper alternatives to landlocked housing.
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