The word "roundhouse" is spelled exactly as it sounds, with each syllable pronounced clearly. In IPA phonetic transcription, it is represented as /ˈraʊndhaʊs/. The first syllable /raʊnd/ has an open vowel sound followed by a nasal consonant, while the second syllable /haʊs/ ends with a voiceless fricative. The word refers to a circular building, typically used as a shelter or a place for activities, such as martial arts or train turntables.
Roundhouse, noun
1. A building or structure having a circular or semicircular shape, with a rounded or domed roof, typically used as a shelter or storage space. Roundhouses are often constructed with a stone or wooden framework and a thatched or shingled roof, and have been historically used by various cultures around the world, including Native Americans, Celts, and Vikings.
2. In the context of martial arts and combat sports, particularly in disciplines such as boxing, kickboxing, and Muay Thai, a roundhouse refers to a powerful strike delivered by swinging the leg or arm in a circular or arcing motion towards an opponent's body or head. The technique aims to generate significant force by rotating the hips and pivoting on the supporting leg, often executed with the leg extended outward or with the shin as the main point of impact.
3. A locomotive servicing facility in which trains can be turned around or stored. Roundhouses were commonly found in the steam locomotive era and typically consisted of a circular or semi-circular structure with multiple tracks radiating from a central turntable, allowing locomotives to be rotated or moved between different tracks for maintenance, repair, or storage purposes. Modern train depots have replaced roundhouses with more efficient facilities.
* 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 "roundhouse" originated from Old English roots. It is derived from two separate components: "round" and "house".
"Round" comes from the Old English word "rund" or "ruhund", which meant "around" or "circular". It typically referred to something having a curved or circular shape.
The term "house" also hails from Old English, where it was known as "hūs". This word denoted a building, structure, or dwelling.
The combination of these two words formed "roundhouse", which originally referred to a type of circular or rounded building. Over time, the term gained different connotations and is now commonly associated with various meanings, including a type of locomotive depot, a type of kick in martial arts, or even a type of dance move.