Canhouse means: US slang, mainly associated with Chicago, for a brothel. The can in this sense derives from can as slang for toilet or facilities, extending to an establishment associated with illicit activity. The. The word is mostly archaic or historical; you will only encounter it in old texts, period drama, or school history rather than current teen conversation. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
canhouse
US slang, mainly associated with Chicago, for a brothel.
Definitions
Global
#1·Apr 28, 2026Global
US slang, mainly associated with Chicago, for a brothel. The can in this sense derives from can as slang for toilet or facilities, extending to an establishment associated with illicit activity. The term is now archaic in general use.
Neighbourhood gossip had it that the place on the corner used to be a canhouse back in the Prohibition days.
Origin: From can (US slang for toilet or a place of low repute) plus house; the Chicago connection suggests early 20th century urban slang. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora (model-assisted, hedged).
For parents
Canhouse means: US slang, mainly associated with Chicago, for a brothel. The can in this sense derives from can as slang for toilet or facilities, extending to an establishment associated with illicit activity. The. The word is mostly archaic or historical; you will only encounter it in old texts, period drama, or school history rather than current teen conversation. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
For ESL learners
canhouse means: US slang, mainly associated with Chicago, for a brothel. The can in this sense derives from can as slang for toilet or facilities, extending to an establishment associated with. Register: archaic, historical. Almost never used today; you will find it only in older texts, dictionaries of dialect, or historical writing. Avoid in active vocabulary. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
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Global
#2·Apr 26, 2026Global
(slang, US, mainly, Chicago) A brothel.
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Other words near "canhouse" (C)
cane itcanercanerowcane toadcan hazcan housecan is cancan I speak to the manager haircutcanistercankcanklecan lah
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Related terms
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Semantically related
- can house91%
Chicago-born slang for a brothel or bordello. 'Can house' was part of the city's early 20th-century underworld vocabulary, where shady establishments needed discreet labels. The term sits in the same murky drawer as 'house of ill repute' and 'disorderly house' — euphemisms that let people refer to the business without spelling it out. Rarely heard today outside of historical crime writing or Chicago blues lyrics, but it captures the blunt poetic genius of old-school American street talk.
- can house87%
(US, mainly Chicago, slang) A brothel, bordello.
- cathouse72%
(US, slang) A brothel.
- backhouse69%
(US, Canada, euphemism) An outhouse: an outbuilding used as a lavatory.