English basement

The origin of the term "English basement" dates back to at least the mid-19th century. The earliest citation in the Oxford English Dictionary is from 1853: ("1853 N.Y. Daily Times 8 July 5/3 (advt.) House for sale...A new three-story English basement house").^[3] "English basement" is mostly an American phrase. Some people^[who?] refer to it as the "garden level." Building codes in most cities^[where?] use neither of the phrases, stating that any floor partly below grade-level is simply a "basement" and a floor more than 50% below grade-level is a "cellar."^[4] In some other cities, such as Chicago and San Francisco, this space is referred to as a "garden apartment" (not to be confused with other types of garden apartments). In Québec, in both English and French, this space is known as a "demi sous-sol," literally a "half-basement." In the United Kingdom, this style of apartment is usually known as a "garden flat," so long as it connects to a rear garden; the level of the property is referred to as "lower ground." ^{[citation needed]}

• Basement apartment