housewife

[ hous-wahyfor, usually, huhz-if ]

noun

, plural house·wives [hous, -wahyvz].

1. Sometimes Offensive. a married woman who manages her own household, especially as her principal occupation.
2. British. a sewing box; a small case or box for needles, thread, etc.

verb (used with or without object)

, house·wifed, house·wif·ing.

1. Archaic. to manage with efficiency and economy, as a household.

housewife

/ ˈhaʊsˌwɪfərɪ; -ˌwɪfrɪ; ˈhaʊsˌwaɪf /

noun

1. a woman, typically a married woman, who keeps house, usually without having paid employment
2. Also calledhussyhuswifeˈhʌzɪf a small sewing kit issued to soldiers

Sensitive Note

Most people, married or unmarried, find the term housewife perfectly acceptable. But it is sometimes perceived as insulting, perhaps because it implies a lowly status (“She’s just a housewife”) or because it defines an occupation in terms of a woman's relation to a man. Homemaker is a fairly common substitute.

Derived Forms

• housewifery, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of housewife¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English hus(e)wif; house, wife

Example Sentences

And in terms of a group dynamic, she is someone who absolutely does not break a sweat when sharing her feelings and opinions, and that is the hallmark of a great housewife.”

From Los Angeles Times

Rather than appealing to the housewife preparing comfort foods, sushi gained popularity by appealing to the desire for new and exciting experiences.

From Salon

Frazzled housewives were a specialty: She was Richard Dreyfuss’ alarmed spouse in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” John Denver’s disbelieving wife in “Oh, God!” and a workaholic mother opposite Michael Keaton in “Mr. Mom.”

From Los Angeles Times

Gay has taken the zeal and devotion she once felt for the LDS church and brought it to her role as a housewife.

From Los Angeles Times

Is she really cut out to be a housewife in the English countryside?

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• homemaker