A mansion is a large dwelling house.
It must be at least 5000 square feet[citation needed] and on average
most are around 8-10 thousand square feet[citation needed].
The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word mansio "dwelling", an abstract noun
derived from the verb manere "to dwell". TheEnglish word "manse" originally defined a property large
enough for the parish priest to maintain himself, but a mansion is no longer self-sustaining in this
way (compare a Roman or medieval villa). 'Manor' comes from the same rootterritorial holdings
granted to a lord who wouldremain therehence it is easy to see how the word 'Mansion' came to
have its meaning.
In modern Japan, a "manshon" (), stemming from the English word "mansion", is used to
refer to a multi-unit apartment complex.