house vs home

A house is a physical structure, a building, or some sort of edifice made of bricks, mortar or possibly wood. There's no implication of any relationship of the potential human inhabitants.

A home has a social meaning and it can be a collective or even be a group of people located (but not exclusively) in a house. There's an implication that it may contain a family or some social group, for example (but not exclusively), a home with a mother father and children, or orphans or the disabled.

Being at home, means feeling those social feelings and cues of having the familiarity of possibly one's companions, belongings and security. So, as an example, one would never say, "I'm 'at house'."

Thanks, Ragman.

Can a flat or apartment be considered a house since a house is a building? I was taught that a house is where I live, be it a flat or apartment or condominium. I believe I was taught wrongly.

Thanks again.

A flat is still a house as it houses people. In the strictest sense, a one-family building is a house, but other types of buildings, even multi-unit ones are still considered houses as long as people live in them.

Understand that you don't always have to apply a strict interpretation to a word or phrase. If you do, you might miss certain nuances of a language. In general, when the words are meant for a strict legal contract or certain academic books might such precision apply.

The bottom line is that a flat still 'houses' people and is considered as house, even if others also call it their house, too.

Many thanks, Ragman.

you're welcome.

Ragman covered it well.

I'll just add that home is used in connotations where warmth, family, coziness, etc are being stressed.

Many thanks, JTT.