The specialized college and university sense (1530s) also applies to both buildings and students collectively, a double sense found earlier in reference to religious orders (late 14c.). Meaning 'audience in a theater' is from 1660s (transferred from the theater itself, playhouse). The legislative sense (1540s) is transferred from the building in which the body meets. Meaning 'family, including ancestors and descendants, especially if noble' is from c. In Gothic only in gudhus 'temple,' literally 'god-house ' the usual word for 'house' in Gothic being according to OED razn. Old English hus 'dwelling, shelter, building designed to be used as a residence,' from Proto-Germanic *hūsan (source also of Old Norse, Old Frisian hus, Dutch huis, German Haus), of unknown origin, perhaps connected to the root of hide (v.).
