1. large communal dwellings traditionally built by certain Native American peoples, especially the Iroquois, typically rectangular and housing multiple families
Usage: historical; anthropological

Examples

• The Iroquois lived in longhouses that could shelter up to twenty families.
• Archaeological evidence shows that longhouses were common in many Native American settlements.
• Each longhouse was divided into sections for different families.
• The longhouses were built with wooden frames and covered with bark.
• Traditional longhouses could extend over 100 feet in length.
• The museum displayed a replica of a typical Iroquois longhouse.