A
multi-family dwelling. What
British people would call a '
flat'. This is the
generic name for a series of rooms in a larger
building that you
rent for use as a
residence.
The taxonomy goes a little like this: the closer you are to the middle of a list, the more likely you have an apartment.
- A dorm room is used only during the school season. They often are nothing more than a single room.
- A hotel room is only used for days at a time. They typically have a bathroom.
- An apartment is lived in for months at a time. You usually have multiple bedrooms, a general living room, and a kitchen. Your apartment is usually one of a dozen or more apartments in a single building. You will usually pay a monthly rent, or montly payments towards a lease. From here on down, you get at least one bathroom.
- A condo is often a multi-level apartment, often nicer than an apartment. The name is often used when it probably shouldn't be. You normally lease or buy a condo. See also time share.
- A patio home or duplex are usually two houses that are connected into a single unit.
A single house is usually a single-family dwelling, so is no longer an apartment.
Apartment living is nice in that you don't have to take care of a lawn, but the rooms can be too small, and there is often a noise problem with your neighbors.