Terrace vs. Row House
“Terrace” and “row house” overlap only in the housing sense. British English commonly uses “terraced house” or “terrace house” for a dwelling in a joined row; American English uses “row house” or “rowhouse.”
For the joined-house type, UK “terraced house/terrace house” corresponds to US “row house/rowhouse.”
Key details
Choose the right form
| Audience/sense | Use | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| British English: one dwelling in a joined row sharing side walls | terraced house / terrace house | Use the documented British housing term. |
| American English: the same joined-house type | row house / rowhouse | Use the documented American housing term. |
| “terrace” means an outdoor platform or another non-housing sense | terrace | Keep that separate from the regional housing comparison. |
Quick tests
Joined-house regional test
Are you naming one house in a continuous connected row with shared side walls?
If yes: Use “terraced house/terrace house” for a British audience or “row house/rowhouse” for an American audience.
If no: Use the wording required by the other sense of “terrace” or “row.”
Caveat: The equivalence is limited to the housing sense; “terrace” has several other meanings.
Examples
They bought a terraced house near the town centre.
The British housing term names one dwelling in a joined row.
The block is lined with nineteenth-century row houses.
The American term names the same general joined-house type.
We ate lunch on the hotel terrace.
This is the separate outdoor-platform sense, not a row house.
Further guidance
Core difference
For the joined-house housing type, British English normally uses “terraced house” (or “terrace house”), while American English uses “row house/rowhouse.”
Fast Test
If you are describing one dwelling in a continuous row with shared side walls, choose the regional housing term expected by your audience.
Usage Boundary
“Terrace” has several other meanings, including an outdoor platform and a whole row of houses, so context should make the housing sense clear.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- TERRACED HOUSE — Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press & Assessment · Regional housing-vocabulary evidence that UK terraced house corresponds to US row house.
- ROWHOUSE — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press & Assessment · Regional housing-vocabulary evidence for US rowhouse and UK terraced house.