1 : an open shed or shelter. 2 religion : tabernacle. 3 : a small, wretched, and often dirty house : hut.

Is hovel a negative connotation?

The word can be used literally to describe something that is a ramshackle shack, but you'll also hear it used with wry humor to describe a person's modest living quarters: “Well, I'm off to my hovel to get some sleep.” Thus in most cases this sense is not offensive.

What is a Hoovel?

A hovel is a small shed or dwelling, often messy, cramped, and crudely built, such as a shelter in a refugee camp — or possibly your apartment if you have too much stuff and not enough time to clean.