Phrase guide

mother-in-law apartment

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A small apartment attached to or carved out of a nominally single-family house, ostensibly intended for occupancy by a mother-in-law or other relative, but potentially also rented out to a stranger.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: in-law unit, granny annexe, granny flat, granny room, secondary suite, casita, garden apartment, ADU (“accessory dwelling unit”)
  • "Accessory dwelling units are commonly referred to as mother-in-law apartments. Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are a second dwelling on a piece of property where a primary residence already exists." —King County (Washington) Online Directory

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: in-law unit, granny annexe, granny flat, granny room, secondary suite, casita, garden apartment, ADU

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.