home
stead
Plural
homesteads
1
a dwelling, usually a farmhouse, together with its adjoining land
- The family returned to their homestead after the harvest.
- The homestead included a barn and several acres of farmland.
- Early settlers built a modest homestead near the river.
- He inherited the homestead from his grandfather.
- The homestead's garden supplied vegetables for the family.
2
a family dwelling that has been passed down through generations
- The old homestead had been in the family for over a century.
- She returned to the homestead where her grandparents had lived.
- Renovations preserved the historic character of the homestead.
- Many families cherish their homestead as a link to their heritage.
- The homestead contained heirlooms and photographs spanning generations.
3
land obtained from U.S. public lands by filing a claim and living on and cultivating it according to homestead law
- Settlers moved west to claim a homestead under the Homestead Act.
- The homestead required five years of continuous residence and cultivation.
- They built a cabin on their homestead in the prairie.
- Thousands of families acquired homesteads during the 19th century.
- The law encouraged people to establish homesteads on public lands.