house party

plural house parties

1. A social gathering at someone's house, generally with music, drinking, etc.First known use 20th c.
2. archaicThe guests staying at a given house, as opposed to those visiting for the day.First known use 19th c.

   The house-party consisted of twelve people, and there were more expected to arrive on the next day.

   1891, Oscar Wilde, chapter XVII, in The Picture of Dorian Gray, London; New York, N.Y.: Ward Lock & Co., →OCLC, page 288

   2 more examples

   He had accepted her as one of the house-party and talked, on and on busily, about his American tour […].

   1917, Dorothy Richardson, Honeycomb

   The difference between Aunt Sadie and Uncle Matthew was not as to whether Lord Merlin should or should not be asked to the ball […], but whether he should be asked to bring a house party.

   1945, Nancy Mitford, The Pursuit of Love, Penguin, published 2010, page 39