roommate

roommate — noun

1. a person who shares a bedroom or dormitory room with you for a limited period, s

1.名詞B1
釋義

a person who shares a bedroom or dormitory room with you for a limited period, such as a college term, a hospital stay, or a summer camp session.

例句

Talia's first-year roommate at the dorm was from a small town in the south.

possessive: [person]'s + first-year roommate

When Esme was in the hospital, her roommate was an elderly woman who loved knitting.

hospital context: hospital roommate

同義詞
  • dormmate

    more specific — refers only to someone sharing a dormitory room, not a hospital room or camp cabin

  • bunkmate

    informal — used especially at camps or hostels where people sleep in bunk beds

文法句型

[possessor]'s roommate

roommate + [preference/assignment]

用法筆記

Commonly used in college, university, and hospital settings. The arrangement is usually limited in duration — a semester, a hospital stay, or a camp session. In dorms, roommate assignments are often handled by the institution rather than chosen by the occupants.

常見錯誤

❌My roommate and colleague Sarah.
✅My roommate Sarah is also my colleague.
💡'roommate' describes a living arrangement, not a work relationship; pair it with 'colleague' or 'coworker' for work ties.

2. a person who shares a rented apartment, house, or other living space with you on

2.名詞B1
釋義

a person who shares a rented apartment, house, or other living space with you on an ongoing basis, typically splitting rent and household responsibilities.

例句

Lara found a roommate through an ad to split the rent on a two-bedroom flat.

collocation: find a roommate / split the rent

Anya's roommate always left dirty dishes in the sink, which caused arguments.

collocation: roommate conflict over housework

同義詞
  • housemate

    common in British and Australian English for someone sharing a house; less common in US English

  • flatmate

    UK-specific term for someone sharing a flat or apartment

  • suitemate

    mostly US college context — someone who shares a suite of rooms but may have their own bedroom

反義詞
  • landlord

    the person who owns the property and rents it out, not the person sharing the living space

文法句型

[possessor]'s roommate

find/have/get + a roommate

用法筆記

In informal American English, 'roommate' is the default term even when the two people do not sleep in the same bedroom — it often simply means 'housemate.' British and Australian English prefer 'housemate' (shared house) or 'flatmate' (shared apartment). The responsibilities typically include splitting rent, utilities, and household chores.

常見錯誤

❌My roommate is the owner of the apartment.
✅My roommate rents the apartment with me.
💡A 'roommate' shares the living space as an equal tenant; the property owner is the 'landlord,' not a roommate.