printing house

From the expansive sense of house to refer to any building, particularly those like shops or workshops where people work together for a common purpose. Originally used in reference to printing workshops supplying or included within a bookshop; later used more expansively to refer to any institution or company involved in printing.

printing house (plural printing houses)

1. An institution or commercial company chiefly devoted to printing.
2. The building where printing occurs.
3. (now uncommon) Synonym of printshop: a place to make personal copies.

• (printing company): publisher, publishing house, printshop, printing shop; press, printing press (metonyms); imprimery (archaic)
• (building for printing): printworks

• (printing company): See printer (inclusive of self-run printing houses)

• (printing company): imprint (subsidiary printing house)