informal housing
n.— «“So with a shortfall as big as that, is it any surprise that the prices have sky-rocketed and informal housing has grown beyond control?” he asks. Informal housing is estate agents’ parlance for slums, in which more than 60% of the city’s 18 million people live.» —“Mumbai houses priced out of market” by Monica Chadha in Mumbai, India BBC News Nov. 11, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
The word budget derives from French bougette, “leather bag.” An old phrase in English to open one’s budget, meant “to speak one’s mind.” The word purse is related to French bourse, a word for the stock market. This is part of a complete episode...
Miley in The Dalles, Oregon, asks about going gunny bags meaning to “break down” or “go haywire.” Her mother uses this expression, but has no idea where she picked it up. The term gunny sack, referring to a bag made of coarse material such as jute...