(British, informal) A small building, located in a garden, serving as a home workspace.
In anticipation of permanent [home working](https://www.theguardian.com/business/working-from-home) she decided to splash out on a “shoffice”.
But there are warnings that some may not be covered by home insurance if something goes wrong. ## 'Shoffice' plans The Aviva survey suggests one in 10 of those asked work from a converted shed, garage or summerhouse -…
(British, informal) A small building, located in a garden, serving as a home workspace.
"shoffice" means a small building, located in a garden, serving as a home workspace. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.
"shoffice" is informal English meaning a small building, located in a garden, serving as a home workspace. It is mainly heard in British English (and Irish English). A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "a small building" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake is to assume "shoffice" can replace its standard equivalent in every register; keep it for spoken or casual situations and use the formal form in writing. If you are a B2 or C1 learner, it is useful to recognise this word when you hear or read it, but think carefully about whether the situation really calls for it before using it yourself.
"shoffice" means a small building, located in a garden, serving as a home workspace. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.
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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UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.
Browse all slang words starting with S.
(Australia, _, slang) An outhouse; an outbuilding used as a lavatory.
A position of responsibility.
(Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia) A building of virtually the same design as a shophouse, but devoted either to commercial use or to a mixture of commercial and residential use.
(archaic) An employment office.
“In anticipation of permanent [home working](https://www.theguardian.com/business/working-from-home) she decided to splash out on a “shoffice”.”
“But there are warnings that some may not be covered by home insurance if something goes wrong. ## 'Shoffice' plans The Aviva survey suggests one in 10 of those asked work from a converted shed, garage or summerhouse - a proportion expected to rise to 13%.”
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(slang, vulgar) An outhouse, an outbuilding used as a lavatory.