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View synonyms for

housewife

[ hous-wahyfor, usually, huhz-if ]

noun

plural housewives
  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)

housewifed, housewifing.
  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
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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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.
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Derived Forms

  • housewifery, noun
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of housewife1

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

Examples have not been reviewed.

The act didn't work, collapsing under the contradictions that arise from playing housewife while auditioning to be Trump's running mate.

From

Cast members navigated onscreen blow-ups between two child star sisters and offscreen abuse that resulted in the death of one housewife’s husband after his cruelty was broadcast for millions to see.

From

The closest you could get was to look into the camera and try to sell to a generic housewife, or Uncle Sam pointing in the poster.

From

None of the details were known by William, who thought his wife was just a regular housewife who loved to sing and clean the house.

From

The urgent question I have is which housewives are these ladies modeled on?

From

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