Tenement: meaning, definitions and examples
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tenement
[ ˈtɛnəmənt ]
housing type
A tenement refers to a multi-occupancy building, typically a large residential structure that has been converted into individual apartments. These buildings are often found in urban areas and are characterized by affordable housing for low-income residents. Tenements can sometimes face criticism for overcrowding and poor living conditions, which has led to various reforms in housing laws. Despite these challenges, tenements represent a significant part of city living and history, offering insight into the demands of urbanization.
Synonyms
apartment building, block of flats, flat complex
Examples of usage
- They lived in a tenement in Manhattan.
- The old tenements needed renovations.
- Many families were displaced from tenements during gentrification.
Translations
Translations of the word "tenement" in other languages:
🇵🇹 tenement
- apartamento
- prédio
🇮🇳 किरायेदारी
- अपार्टमेंट
- आवास
🇩🇪 Mietskasernen
- Mietwohnung
- Wohngebäude
🇮🇩 sewa
- apartemen
- rumah susun
🇺🇦 орендоване житло
- квартира
- будинок
🇵🇱 kamienica
- mieszkanie
- lokal
🇯🇵 テナメント
- アパート
- 住宅
🇫🇷 immeuble locatif
- appartement
- logement
🇪🇸 edificio de viviendas
- apartamento
- vivienda
🇹🇷 kiralık daire
- apartman
- konut
🇰🇷 임대 주택
- 아파트
- 주거
🇸🇦 مبنى مؤجر
- شقة
- مسكن
🇨🇿 nájemní dům
- byt
- obytný dům
🇸🇰 nájomný dom
- byt
- obytný dom
🇨🇳 租赁住房
- 公寓
- 住宅
🇸🇮 najemniška hiša
- stanovanje
- stan
🇮🇸 leiguíbúð
- íbúð
- hús
🇰🇿 жалға берілетін тұрғын үй
- пәтер
- үй
🇬🇪 ქირავნული სახლი
- ბინა
- საცხოვრებელი
🇦🇿 kirayə evi
- mənzil
- bina
🇲🇽 departamento de alquiler
- apartamento
- vivienda
Word origin
The word 'tenement' originates from the Old French term 'tenement', which means 'to hold' or 'to possess'. This term was derived from the Latin 'tenere', which translates to 'to hold'. Historically, the use of the term referred to a property that could be held or occupied by a person or group. In the 19th century, 'tenement' began to specifically denote buildings in urban areas intended for residential occupancy, often with multiple families living within a single structure. The rise of industrialization and urban migration led to the proliferation of tenement buildings, which provided affordable housing for workers. However, these structures were frequently criticized for sanitary and safety issues, leading to significant reforms in housing regulations in the early 20th century.