The word "homeless" is spelled as /ˈhəʊmləs/ in IPA phonetic transcription. It is composed of three syllables: "home", "less", and a schwa sound that connects the two syllables. The "h" in "home" is pronounced with a breathy sound, while the "o" is pronounced with an open-mid back vowel. The "less" part is pronounced with a clear "l" sound and a short "e". The schwa sound that connects the two syllables is a neutral vowel sound that is commonly found in unstressed syllables.
Homeless is an adjective that describes an individual, or a group of individuals, who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate residence or dwelling. This term refers to people who are without a permanent place to live, often finding themselves without suitable shelter or a stable housing situation. The condition of being homeless can be the result of various circumstances, such as economic hardship, job loss, mental illness, addiction, domestic violence, natural disasters, and social exclusion.
Homeless individuals typically face multiple challenges and experience vulnerability, as they lack the security and stability that a permanent home provides. They often resort to temporary shelters, such as emergency shelters, transitional housing, or they may even find themselves living on the streets or in public places. Homelessness not only deprives individuals of basic necessities like shelter, but also makes it difficult for them to access healthcare, education, employment opportunities, and social support networks.
Efforts to combat homelessness often involve providing housing assistance, job training programs, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, and supportive services to help individuals regain stability and independence. Many non-profit organizations, government agencies, and communities work collectively to raise awareness, develop policies, and implement initiatives to address the complex issue of homelessness and strive to ensure that everyone has a safe and stable place to call home.
• Destitute of a home.
• Without a home.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "homeless" originated in Middle English as a combination of two words: "home" and "less". The word "home" can be traced back to Old English "ham" or "hām", meaning dwelling or residence. The word "less" comes from Old English "lēas", indicating a lack or absence of something. Therefore, the etymology of "homeless" suggests someone who lacks a home or dwelling place.